


Stargate Legacies

by Waternymph1995



Category: Stargate (1994), Stargate - All Media Types, Stargate - Fandom, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Abydos, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Feels, Angst and Humor, Daniel Foster Sibling, F/M, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:07:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 37,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27983544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Waternymph1995/pseuds/Waternymph1995
Summary: AU What will your legacy be? Erin Clark, foster sister to Dr. Jackson, thought a simple life on Abydos would her legacy. Then the Goa'uld stole all that including the person who meant the most to her, a certain dark-haired boy. Now she must decide if she will standby, or risk everything to take it all back. One thing is certain, as part of SG-1 she wont go down without a fight.
Relationships: OC/Skaara, OFC/Skaara
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter One: The Stargate

Author's note: I don't own any of Stargate or the lines from the movies. This is an AU story of Stargate. I planning on it going through the movie into the tv series. I wont be doing every episode, but I will try to get the most important ones in.

Stargate Legacies

"Do not fight for yourself,

fight for others,

others who may be saved

through your efforts."

-Stargate Ark of Truth-

Chapter One

The Stargate

I groaned and clutched my head in my hands, letting my blonde hair hide my face as yet another professor left the auditorium. Sure Daniel was a brilliant archeologist with revolutionary ideas but his people skills, or his lack of, really got to be trying sometimes. I mean it was obvious to me that he was quickly losing everyone listening to his lecture, _he_ just didn't seem to realize it yet.

"When is the academic community going to accept the fact that the great pharaohs did not build the pyramids? Inside the great pyramid, the most incredible structure ever created, there are absolutely no writings what so ever."

"Dr. Jackson," a man called out from the audience, "you left out the fact the Colonel Vise found the inscription of Kafu's name within the pyramid..."

"Yes. Well, his discovery was a fraud."

A roar of disapproval rose around us. Come on Dani, discredit a world renowned professor in front of a room full of scientists who looked like they could chew us up?

"Well Dr. Jackson, who do you think built the pyramids?"

"I don't have any idea who built them, I mean that..." He stumbled over his words as he started to get nervous, finally picking up the hostility in the room.

"Maybe it was men from Atlantis or martians perhaps?"

"It doesn't matter who built them," Daniel stated loudly over all the rising voices in the room. Pretty much everyone was starting to leave. "the point is when they were built. We know archeological evidence dates the sphinx back to way before we even thought, I meant we need to start to reevaluate all we think we know, I've deciphered evidence of a fully developed writing system dating back the 1st and 2nd dynasties and even earlier." I got up from my seat in the front row and climbed the steps looking a Daniel sadly. Everyone was gone and we were alone. "Is there a lunch or something I missed?"

"Come on, lets get out of here." I said grabbing our suitcases.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Dr. Jackson? Miss Clark?" a man in a military uniform approached us as we left the Museum of Antiquities. It was raining and in a few seconds we were soaked.

"Yes?" I asked. "Who are you?"

"Someone wants to speak with you." He opened the door to a black, ridiculously expensive car and motioned for us to get in.

"The air force? What is this?" Daniel stared at the open car door.

"Please get in the car sir, miss."

We slid into the car, it was thankfully warm and dry inside. I got in first and I looked over to see and elderly woman sitting next to me holding some files.

"We going somewhere?" Daniel asked when the man shut the car door.

"Dr. Jackson, Miss Clark are these you're parents?" she held up a picture of our family when Daniel was a young teenager and I was a baby being held by our parents.

Daniel answered her, "My foster parents, her parents. What is this all about?"

"A job." the woman looked over at us expectantly.

"What kind of job?" I asked. Given our reputation as quacks of the academic world I was surprised anyone wanted anything from us.

"Translation, Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Interested?"

"We're going to go now." Daniel gave me a stern look and started to open the door.

"Dani!" I all but shouted. "We _need_ a job." I added in a hushed whisper.

"Go where?" The woman gave us a skeptical glace looking at our luggage sitting in the rain outside. "You've just been evicted from your apartment, your grants have run out. Miss Clark, you've been laughed out of college and your scholarships have been suspended. All you own are in those two bags. You want to prove that your theories are right? This is your chance."

She dug into her pile of files and pulled out two envelopes and handed them to me.

"What are these?" I asked.

"Travel plans."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

After a few hours of ridding in a car we arrived in Cheyenne Mountain Colorado of all places. Looking up at the barbed wire fence surrounding the military base Daniel turned to me, "What are Egyptian hieroglyphs doing here?"

"Let's just give it a chance."

He nodded as military personnel came up to the car and led us out, carrying our bags. We came to an elevator which opened to reveal the man we had seen before when the woman had offered us the job.

"Hello again." I smiled at him and held out my hand for him to shake.

"Miss Clark," he said shaking my hand then Daniel's, "Dr. Jackson thank you for coming."

"Well it's nice to be here um..." I glanced around his shirt looking for a name tag.

"Lieutenant Colonel Kawalsky." he stated pulling his name tag out of his pocket.

"It's nice to meet you again. Ahh!" I jumped, slamming my arm into the side of the elevator when Daniel let out a sudden sneeze. After all these years you'd think I'd be used it by now.

I rubbed the sore spot on my arm while Daniel blew his nose, giving me an apologetic look.

"Cold?" Kawalsky took a small step away from him.

"No allergies. Always happens when I travel." He stuffed his handkerchief into his pocket.

"You should have seen him on the plane." I giggled, jabbing him playfully in the ribs. "It was like he was hyperventilating, only with sneezing."

Daniel glared at me. "Very funny."

"Ah, here you go." Kawalsky stated when the doors opened up. Waiting for us were several people with clipboards full of notes. What is with all those files?

"Dr. Jackson, Miss Clark." A plump man with dark hair came forward and held out his hand. "Dr. Barry Micheals. How are you?"

"Hi." Daniel acknowledged him with a nod then continued to rove his eyes around the complex.

I sighed. Seeing that the man wasn't going to get any more from Daniel I decided to save him and took his hand that he was still holding out awkwardly. "Please call me Erin, pleased to meet you."

"Erin," he looked relived. "welcome."

"Thanks I'm glad to be here, where ever here is." I stepped out of the way as a couple of military personnel walked by carrying a crate. "What is this place?"

A middle aged woman came up to me and shook my hand, "An old missal silo. But don't worry it's been completely converted. Barbara Shore, hi."

She led us to a set of doors at the far end of the hallway. As the doors opened I saw something unlike anything I had ever seen before. Daniel froze staring up at the strange sight. A set of dozens of stone tablets hung on the wall forming a circle. Hieroglyphics and symbols I didn't recognize adorned them.

"Dr. Jackson, Miss Clark, glad you could come." The woman who had offered us the job approached us opening her arms in welcome.

"Thanks," Daniel said breaking out of his stupor, "this, where'd you find this."

The woman smiled and looked up at the tablets. "Giza Plateau, 1928."

"Wow!" I breathed out. I wondered why I had never heard of a find like this since I had studied about as much Ancient Egyptian artifacts and history and Dani.

"I've never seen anything like this." Daniel echoed my thoughts

"Of course you haven't, no one has."

Barry came up, pointing at different places in the formation of tablets. "Now there's two lines of hieroglyphs, the inner tracts have the classic figures, but the outer track is like the cartosh in the center. It's got writing unlike any we've ever found before."

"Those aren't hieroglyphics." Dani stated.

"Indeed," I agreed taking a closer look at the writing. "It may be some form of hieratic or cuneiform."

I saw a blackboard over to the side with an attempt at a translation on it. "Hey Dani." I tapped his shoulder and pointed at it.

Dani walked over and immediately erased some of the translation."Well the translation of the inner track is wrong. Must have been Bocks, I don't know why they keep reprinting his books."

"Ah, hey! Excuse me but... what are you doing?" Barry protested. "We've used every known technique."

"I'm sorry Barry." I said. "A lot of times you just sort of have to roll with him."

"This is a curious writing." Daniel called over to us, tapping on a particular word.

"Well yeah." Barry stuttered.

I came closer to the board. I could see what Dani was getting at. I tugged on his jacket and showed him another part of the translation. "And that verbeal 'Conceal'. It should be 'Sealed and buried.'"

"Very good!" Dani exclaimed looking at my work.

"Excuse me!" Barry shouted.

"'From on High'" Daniel muttered. "Who the hell translated this?"

"I, I did." Barry answered. Oh, that one had to hurt.

When he was finished erasing and writing Dani turned to the group "This should read "Nine years into the sky Ra the sun God sealed and buried for all time"

"Its not door to heaven," I said wiping away a part he missed. "His 'Stargate'."

"Why is the military so interested in nine thousand year old Ancient Egyptian tablets?" he asked looking back at the group.

"My report says ten thousand." a loud commanding voice said from the front of the room.

"Afternoon Colonel." Kawalsky saluted the man.

"Um, do I know you?" the woman who brought us here asked.

"I'm Colonel Jack O'Neill from General West's office. I'll be taking over from here."

Oblivious to the change in the rooms atmosphere Dani looked at Barbara. "Ten thousand really that's ludicrous. I mean Egyptian culture didn't even exist then."

"I know but the sonic and carbon tests are conclusive." She said showing him some sheets.

"Well what about the cover stones, is there a tomb underneath?" he asked gesturing to the tablets.

"Oh no no no, but we found something." she said softly. "A lot more interesting."

"Excuse me but this information just became classified." The Colonel O'Neill handed Kawalsky some paper work. "From now on no information is to be passed onto non-military personnel without my expressed permission."

"Catherine what's going on here?" Barry asked. So Catherine was her name.

"I'm not sure." she followed the Colonel out of the room.

I've never heard of any military taking such an interest in some old artifacts. What _was_ going on?

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"It's two o'clock in the morning Dani, just give it a rest." I guzzled down my ninth cup of coffee. Great I'm empty again.

Daniel leaned on a desk with his books strewn all over it and the floor listening to his notes, "I've compared the symbols to all writings both pre and post and have found no matches. I'm never gonna get payed."

I laughed at his last statement. "Your probably right." I saw that he had ran out of coffee to. "Hey you want some more."

"More what?" he asked, he turned to look at me and I saw deep circles under his eyes.

"No more caffeine for you." but I grabbed his cup anyway and walked out of the the lab.

Out side there was a security guard reading the paper. "Hey lady." I showed him my security card. "Oh ok." I went to the coffee machine. "It's empty!" he shouted over.

"Great." I was waking back to the room when something caught my eye on the paper he was reading. On the back was the picture of some constellations, one in particular drew my attention. "Can I have this piece?" I asked tapping on the front page.

"Yeah sure, I was almost done with it. Here." he handed my the whole paper.

"Thank you." I clutched it to my chest and ran back, bursting through the doors and startling Dani who had been dozing off.

"You gotta see this." I rushed the ladder over to the center piece of the tablets that held the cartosh. Scrambling up I slapped the paper with the constellations next a symbol. "What does this look like to you?" Pointing at the last marking of the sequence in the stone.

Dani climbed next to me. He looked back and forth between the paper and symbol groggily, then suddenly he was wide awake and staring at me in comprehension. "It that Orion?"

I nodded. "I think we figured it out."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Daniel and I walked into a meeting that had been called after our little discovery. I carried a neatly put together report on our findings in a binder while Dani stumbled next to me trying to carry all his maps and books. "You missed a book." I joked.

"What are you serious?!" He stopped short. "I need to go back."

I grabbed his arm before he could move. "As long as you've known me you can't tell when I'm joking? You need to loosen up it's going to be an informal presentation, there's nothing to be..." My words were corruptly cut off when we entered the briefing room. About half a dozen men in full military uniforms sat around the table with at least as many scientists. "Oh crow." I squeaked out.

"Dr. Jackson Miss Clark, I'd like you to meet General West." Kawalsky introduced us to one to the men present.

"Oh right you." Dani said shaking the General's hand. The General shook my hand to before taking a seat.

"So you think you two have solved in 14 days what they haven't solved in 3 years?" He said.

"3 years?" Daniel asked incredulously.

"Anytime you feel like starting." The General snapped impatiently.

"I have some stuff." Dani spread out some of his sheets of star maps and constellations, while I handed the General our formal report. "Ah just pass them down, sorry you'll have to share I don't have enough. So what were looking at is a picture of the cover stones." He drew a crude representation of what was printed on the papers on a white board. "The outer track was originally believed to be words to be translated where in fact," He grabbed a set of maps, accidentally hitting one of the military officers, "sorry about that, were in fact star constellations. These constellations put together in a sequence form a map or address of sorts. Seven points to outline the course to a position." Dani made a diagram on the board showing how a course would be plotted. "To find the destination within any three dimensional space you need six point to determine any specific location."

"You said you needed seven points." Colonel O'Neill spoke up from the corner where he was standing.

"No six to determine the position of destination," I took the marker from Dani's hand, "to plot a course you need a seventh, a point of origin." I drew a line connecting the last two points.

"But there's only six symbols on the cartosh." Barry said waving his hand at a picture of the tablets lying on the table.

"Yes, the seventh is just below here," Daniel traced the symbol with his finger. "A pyramid with two funny neat little guys and a funny little wine glass. Anyway..." a couple of officers snickered.

"They did it." Catherine announced.

"We, we did what?" I asked.

"No, no way," Barry protested, "that symbol isn't anywhere on the device."

"There's a device?" Dani looked at Barry confused.

Genral West rose from his seat and gave a stiff nod to an officer standing by a the blast-doors."Show them." The officer returned the nod before pushing a button on the wall next to him.

Behind us the blast-doors opened. Daniel and I walked over to the widow that was revealed and looked down. Below a massive ring stood in the center of the room. Running along the sides I could just make out the symbols that we had used in our presentation only moments earlier.

"That's an eye opener." I breathed out. "What is it?"

Catherine came to stand next to us looking down at the ring for a moment, then she turned smiling. "It's your Stargate."

Note: This work is also on Fanfiction.net. It has not been copied or stolen. I am expanding that platforms I’m posting this story on. I hope you enjoy.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

"Monitors up. Bring up the details on the center monitors please." The General commanded when we entered a control room of sorts.

"It was under the cover stones?" Dani asked ge2sturing in the general direction of the Stargate.

"Yes, my father found it back in 1928 made out a mineral unlike any found on Earth." Catherine rubbed a gold pendant around her neck and gazed at the gate like she was seeing old memories rather than the scene before her.

A lab technician began running across the screen of his computer pictures showing the marking on the gate in detail. As he went through one caught my eye.

"Hold it, wait." I said waving my hand. "Go back one." He did and on the monitor a symbol resembling a pyramid with a circle overhead appeared.

"That's it. Do you have a ...ah," Daniel grabbed a marker from the lab coat belonging to one of the technicians and began drawing on the screen, unfortunately it was a permanent marker.

Barry blanched and tried to snatch the marker away, "Hey! You can't do that!" Dani just ignored him. If he kept this up Barry was going to get a heart attack.

On the monitor Dani drew a rough representation of the seventh symbol we used in our presentation. "Two figures on either side of the pyramid, praying with the sun directly over head."

Everyone started at the screen in awe. "It was in front of us the whole time." Barry said, seemingly forgetting about the marker incident.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Dani and I were going over some data when we overheard the General and Colonel O'Neill speaking off to the side. "That's why we may have to abort. This project is for not with out a reconnaissance mission." said Colonel O'Neill, a displeased expression on his face.

I inched my way over to hear them better.

"Once on the other side we would have to decipher the markings on the other gate. And in essence dial home in order to bring the team back." The General agreed.

"Based on this new information I don't see how we could do that."

"I could do that." Daniel interjected. Oh Dani, what are you getting us into.

"Are you sure?" The General asked while staring him in the eyes like he was searching for any signs of deception.

Please don't say it, please don't say it. DON'T SAY IT!

"Positive." Dani said emphatically nodding his head. I slapped my hand to my face.

The Colonel took one look at him. "He's full of shit."

"Hey, and what are you full of?" I protested indignantly lowering my hand. Then I quickly added, before the Colonel could yell whatever he was about to say to me. "Daniel isn't going anywhere without me. He goes, I go."

The General glared down of both of us. It was clear by his expression he was trying to find a good reason to deny us going, and when he found nothing. He grumbled unhappily,"You're on the team."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

In line stood about twelve marines and air force officers. Each with gruff looking weapons and an even gruffer expressions. They looked battle ready, hardened by the years.

Dani and I couldn't have stood out more if you painted us blue. The military fatigues requisitioned for us were hung off Dani's frame like plastic bags. On me they were tied and bunched in the back by a ridiculous number of rubber bands and safety pins. "You'd think a multimillion dollar operation would have clothes that actually fit."

"Sorry kid." one of the officers standing next to Kawalsky, Feretti I think, spoke up, "We were expecting grown-ups on this mission, not little girls. But if you want we might be able to find you something in pink." He smirked at down at me.

"Hey." I know I don't look my age, but if I was a kid there'd be no way I'd even be considered for this mission. "I'm not as young as I look. And I'm partly responsible for getting that hunk of rock working." I started towards the soldier.  
"Erin." Dani warned, putting a hand on my shoulder. Right, not a good idea to pick a fight with these guys. They would so lose.

"Ten hut." Colonel O'Neill shouted striding into the embarkation area. All the officers snapped to attention, funny business forgotten. "Anybody has anything to say, now's the time to say it."

"Ah-ah-ahchew!" Dani sneezed unexpectedly and I patted his back.

"Riiiiight." O'Neill glance at us disdainfully. "Let's move out."

Inside the gate room that Stargate was already spinning. In the control room Barry called out as each chevron was locked into place. "Chevron seven is locked!" The gate stopped spinning and a whoosh of water exploded outwards, spiraling until it was sucked back inwards forming a vertical pool of glimmering indigo water.

"Wow!" I said as I looked up the ramp mesmerized by the light bounding off the subtle waves in the surface of the gate. Beside me the soldiers were already moving up the ramp and starting to go through.

Before he went through Colonel O'Neill turned around and barked at me. "Clark you coming or not?"

"Oh," snapping out of it, "yeah sorry." I clambered up the ramp joining him and Dani, we were the last yet to go through.

"This is amazing." Dani lifted his and lightly touched the surface of the horizon. Seeing that it moved like water he waved his hand a little more violently, making bigger waves.

"Oh, for crying out loud." and O'Neill promptly shoved him through.

I tried to stifle my laugh, but he heard me anyway and he turned to me. "Do I have to shove you to?"

"No sir." I shook my head and I jumped through the gate. It felt like I had been submersed in ice cold water for a moment, then I flew forward on the craziest roller-coaster I've ever been on.

It only lasted for a few seconds before I found myself landing hard on a rocky surface, all the air rushed out my lungs. "Oh crow." I groaned.

"Hey you alright kid?" Feretti asked helping me to my feet.

On my left Dani was lying on the ground with his head between his knees looking ready to be sick.

I took Feretti's outstretched hand and he pulled me to my feet, just a little to fast. A wave of lightheartedness swept over me and I pitched forward only to have Feretti save me from kissing the ground. "The hell was that?"

"Don't worry," Kawalsky called over, "keep moving and it'll wear off in a minute."

When I was finally steady on my feet I was able to look around at where we landed. The room we were in was huge with a large corridor stretching out before us. There was a faint light at the end. Sunlight? The wall were made of a sandy brown stone and were strangely bereft of carvings or writings making me think back to some of Dani's lectures on the pyramids.

"We gotta move out!" O'Neill shouted, already gathering his gear. "Three teams, lets go."

The soldiers broke up into thee groups and stalked forward with their guns at the ready. They formed a half circle with Dani and I in the center with O'Neill. As we got closer to the end of the corridor I saw that the light was in fact an exit.

"O2 levels stable sir," One of the officers held an atmosphere detector and tentatively stepped into the open. "Conditions similar to inside."

"I'm gonna take a look around, Kawalsky, Feretti." O'Neill waved them forward and they took point as we left the safely of the structure and walked slowly into the open.

Leading down to the ground was a huge granite ramp and on either side an obelisk rose rose up. The desert stretched on as far as I could see.

We reached the bottom of the ramp and I grabbed an handful of sand, feeling it's texture. "If I didn't know better this could be the Sahara."

""I knew it." Dani shouted triumphantly next to me startling me, making me send the sand I was holding flying into my face.

"Stop doing that." I grumbled brushing the sand off my shirt. Then I turned around and saw what he had shouted about. Reaching up into the sky was an exact replica of the great pyramids of Giza. "You were right Dani." I said as we looked at each other grinning like two children on Christmas morning.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Jackson, Clark get to work on the gate." O"Neill ordered us when we stopped staring at the pyramid.

"I don't know, I need more time. There's bound to be more structures here or traces of civilization." Daniel said gesturing to our surroundings.

"Not this trip. Just get back in there a reestablish contact." O'Neill said curtly.

"It not going to be that easy." Daniel retorted, earning a death glare from the Colonel. "This is a replica of the great pyramid of Giza," he said throwing his arms in the general discretion of the structure. "we wont find any hieroglyphs or pictograms anywhere in the structure, we really need to look around."

"You're job here is to realign the Stargate, can you do that or not." O'Neill approached us, his tone edging on threatening.

"I can't."

"You can't or you wont?"

"I can decipher the symbols on the Stargate but I need an order of alignment. Now those coordinates were marked on tablets back on earth, there has to be something like that here somewhere. I just need to find it. " Daniel explained.

"I knew it." exclaimed Feretti.

"What do you mean find it?" O'Neill took another step towards us.

I began backing away from the two men.

"You didn't say anything about finding something." he glowered and Dani.

"I assumed the tablets would be here." Daniel explained.

"You assumed?" O'Neill's voice sounded positively deadly now.

Turns out he wasn't the one I should have been watching.

"You lying son of a bitch!" Feretti barreled into Daniel and knocked him to the ground hard. "You never said a word about finding anything!"

Surprisingly it was O'Neill who jumped between them and threw Feretti off Dani. "Feretti! Set up a camp down here, organize our supplies."

"Sir." he protested.

"You got your orders." O'Neill boomed.

"You ok?" I asked Dani while I got down to check on him.

"Yeah but if I don't get us out of here soon, I wont be."

"One thing at a time. Lets get our gear to the camp for starters, then well worry about the gate." I sounded more confident than I felt. If we couldn't get back home we were going to be wrapped helically around an inclined plane. In short, screwed.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

We dragged our bags through the crude camp Feretti and Kawalsky had assembled. The glares from the soldiers burned into our backs and I dared not meet any of their gazes.

On the edge of the camp we set up our gear. Dani rooted through his vest pockets, throwing some of what he found on the ground.

"What in the world are you doing?" I asked as yet another object collided with the sand.

"I got everything here except sunblock." He answered, the annoyance evident in his voice.

"Here." I handed him my tube of sunblock.

"Were'd you find yours?"

"In the pocket that I put it in."

"Hey!" Feretti's voice broke up our conversation. He stood behind us with one of Daniel's bags full of his books. "Isn't there something you should be doing right now?" Then he hurled the bag at Daniel's head, just barley missing him. "Like getting us the hell out of here?!"

"That's enough!" I shouted jumping to my feet staring him down. Daniel had taken off chasing his books and papers before they were lost in the sand. "We're not dead yet, and it doesn't look like we're in any immediate danger. It takes time to find what we're looking for. And you all yelling at us every two minutes isn't going to get us home any faster, so can it!"

"Lady's right."O'Neill appeared out of nowhere next to me. "Where's Jackson?"

"Over there some here." Pointing my thumb behind me.

"We need to get you and Jackson back in there and start looking for the return code." he led us over a sand dune. "Feretti, you and your men stay here."

"Yes sir."

As we came over the top we saw Daniel standing next to a, well a literal walking carpet. The animal was huge and easy towered over Dani. Though the way it was sniffing and rubbing against him it seemed more like a big puppy begging for food, which Daniel was giving him.

"I wouldn't feed that thing!" O'Neill shouted at him, raising his gun so it was aimed at the creature.

"It's got a harness!" Daniel shouted back, tugging on the leather straps wrapped around the animal's mouth. "It's domesticated! I don't think its dangerous ahh..." the creature took off and the straps lying around it on the ground tightened around Dani's feet and the next thing we knew he was flying across the sand, screaming the whole way.

"Not again." I groaned in frustration before taking off after him with everyone else.

O'Neill and I ran side by side, seeming somewhat surprised that I could keep pace with him. I hadn't been the captain of the cross-county team for nothing.

"This has happened before?" he shouted a little breathless.

"Long story short, we were on a dig in southern Africa and he spooked an elephant." a grin spreading across my face at the memory.

We caught up to the animal and Daniel was lying prone across the sand mumbling curses in a string of ancient languages.

"You ok Jackson?" O'Neil asked as he helped Kawalsky lift Dani off the ground.

"Yeah." he said standing and brushing himself off. "Would you look at that!" He stared at something in shock behind us.

"Whoa!" I skidded to a stop. Far in the distance was a huge working camp of sorts. The sound of metal striking rocks and hundreds of voices were audible even at this distance. I squinted trying to get a better look at the aliens, then I gasped when I realized something. "Are those people? They look human!" Around me the soldiers nodded in agreement.

"Let's get a closer look, Jackson, Clark come on." O"Neill was already heading over the sand dunes.

Dani and I trudged behind them, struggling to keep up.

When we got closer a worker spotted us called out to the rest. Immediately all they stopped working to watch us. So much for not making a big scene. It was like an epic staring contest between the thousands of them and the seven of us. It was completely silent for over two minutes and there seemed to be no end in sight. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a boy, about my age with dreads who seemed to be watching me with particular interest. But when I turned to meet his gaze he turned away quickly making me wonder if I had just imagined it.

O"Neill's voice broke into my thoughts. "Alright, Jackson Clark your on."

"Us?" I squeaked.

"You two are the linguists." he said like it was so obvious, which I guess it kinda was. "Try to talk to them."

"Well," I looked at Daniel with what I hoped looked like an apologetic expression. "Technically he's the professional."

He sighed in resignation before walking up to the group of people closet to us. "Um," he tried to decide what to say to them, "Hi!"

Kawalsky scoffed next to me. "Sure, professional. I coulda done that."

I tried to stop myself from giggling.

"Mettu aya." A dark skinned man said looking at Daniel. He whirled looking behind him to shout so the rest of them could hear. "Mettu a aya!"

Everyone, no matter where they were or what they were doing dropped what they were holding and fell to their knees before us.

"Ok, I was not expecting that." my eyes roved uneasily over the mass of people.

"What they hell did you say to them?" O'Neill questioned Daniel while we came to stand side by side with him.

'Nothing." he replied shrugging his shoulders.

"Hey." I interjected. "maybe we should try to get them up off the ground, this is creeping me out."

"I agree." O'Neill knelt down next to boy I had seen earlier and took his hand, trying to shake it in greeting. "Hi, how ya doing."

The boy looked up at him in fear and yanked his hand away screaming. Hurling himself to his feet he took off running. "Sheep esoy, sheep esoy. Asu..." his voice faded in to the distance.

O'Neill glanced back at us, confusion all over his face. "What I say?"

"I don't think it was you. I mean think about how strange we must seem to them." I waved my hand at the mass still kneeling on the ground.

Faintly I heard the boy's voice again, "Asu, sheep aya." He was leading what seemed to be an animal like the one that had drug Dani, only about twice as large.

When it got closer a man slid off the animal. If not for his ornate clothes, then his regal posture alerted me to the fact that this man was most likely the leader of these people. He watched us with some uncertainty, but approached us never the less. "Yeahyawa mahate ancac Kasuf."

Daniel's face was a mixture of awe and confusion which was his trademark whenever he was trying to understand something that for the moment completely baffled him. "I can't make it out."

Some of the words seemed vaguely familiar to me, "It may be a form of chatic or armanic." I offered.

The leader waved his hand at the mass, "Amow." and they all rose to their feet. Then he gestured to a group on his left and several women came forward with bowls full of water and offered them to us.

Next to me I saw the woman who gave the bowl to Dani watching him closely and then blushing when he looked down at her. "Thank you." he said and a brief smile crossed her face as she stepped away from him.

"Se plue." the leader gestured with his hands for us to follow him.

"He's inviting us to follow him." Dani translated.

O'Neill was still skeptical, "How do you know?"

"Because," and I mimicked the man's gesture with my hands, "he's inviting us to go with him."

"We were looking for signs of civilization, obviously we have found it. You want me to get us home? This is our best shot." Dani said.

"Colonel he's right. I took some reading of what they're mining. Its made of the same material as the Stargate." One of the soldiers added as he bent down and scanned a basket full of a dark rocky substance.

"Radio base camp, tell them to keep that area secure until we get back." O'Neill ordered Kawalsky.

"Yes sir."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The leader, who we learned was named Kasuf lead us through the desert. In the distance a city of sorts rose up from the sand.

"That's amazing. "I said to no one in particular. I should have been watching were I was going because, what do you know, I tripped and plowed into someone almost knocking them over.

Whoever it was caught me and I looked up to see dark brown eyes starring down at me. It was the boy from before. My face blazed red, "Sorry and thanks." I managed to stutter out. Even though he didn't understand my words he seemed to understand I was thanking him.

He nodded and smiled faintly saying something, which I took for a 'you're welcome'.

Next to me Daniel started huffing, "ahh-achew!" he took out his filthy handkerchief.

"I think it's about time you burned that." I pointed at it.

"What? No, I've had this for years." he looked slightly hurt, but I could tell he was joking.

I laughed, "My point exactly."

Behind us I heard the boy mumble to the group of kids that had assembled around us. Then there was the distinctive sound of a slap. I whirled around to see what was going on just in time to see the boy shove Daniel's handkerchief back into one of his pockets.

I couldn't suppress my laugh and I heard someone else laughing with me. The woman I saw eying Daniel for the past hour gazed affectionately at the boy and Daniel. I think Dani has an admirer.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Entering the city I glanced around us. There were several levels weaving in and out of the buildings swirling above.

Kasuf called out and two men on platforms about twenty feet up ran over and pulled away a leather covering over a gold medallion suspended in the air. Kasuf knelt on the ground in front of Daniel and the rest of his people followed.

The intricate symbol engraved into the gold caught my eye. "The eye of Ra." I breathed out. "The Egyptian Sun God." I explained when many of the soldiers looked clueless. "They must think he sent us here."

"Yeah. I wonder what gave them that idea." O'Neill walked over to Daniel picking something up off his chest.

For the first time I noticed that around Dani's neck was Catherine's gold pendant. "How did you get that?" I asked.

"Catherine gave it to me. She said it might bring me luck."

I bent down next to Kasuf and pointed at the symbol above us, "Ra. Ra?" He looked up at me and nodded slightly.

Suddenly all around the air filed with the sound of horns and shouting. The people started to shout at each other and move farther into the city while several men ran to the gate we had just came through and frantically began to close it.

"What are they all doing? Where are they going?" O'Neill shouted at me and Daniel.

"I don't know." I said shrugging my shoulders before having to step out of the way of some natives running past.

Static came from the Kawalsky's radio, "Feretti! I can't hear you." He handed the radio to O'Neill. "Sir I can't make this out."

"Feretti, repeat." O'Neill shouted into the radio.

Static, "Sir we have to..." garbled words. "I repeat we have to abandon base camp."

"Arando she boy!" Kasuf shouted and the men finished closing the gates.

"We're going back right now!" O'Neill hoisted his gun and shoved his way through the crowd, using his gun to part a path.

"Colonel!" I barreled after him trying to get his attention. "I think they're closing those gates for good reason."

"Yeah." He yelled back at me but continued forwards. "What reason could that possibly be?" He and the soldiers reached the gate. When the natives wouldn't move they started shooting at the ground, sending the everyone screaming in terror. "Get out of the way!" He and Kawalsky grabbed two men trying to flee and held their weapon on them.

"Colonel stop it!" I commanded, not that they would listen to me. Running, Daniel and I put ourselfs between them and the rest of the people gathering around us holding our hands up.

The natives grew silent, waiting to see what we would do next. I felt someone brush pst me and I glanced beside me to see the boy bravely approaching O'Neill.

"Ney ne, ney ne." he said calmly waving his hands slowly at the gate. When O'Neill slowly started to lower his gun the boy gestured for O'Neill to follow him. "Shashe teu, yu yu."

Before he follow, O'Neill stopped and turned to Dani and I. "You two stay here."

The boy lead him up three level till we saw that they have come out on and walkway running across the top of the gate.

"What is it Colonel?" Kawalsky yelled up while still firmly gripping his hostage.

"Sandstorm, and coming this way." The Colonel shouted down, and a chill went down my back.

With a huff Kawalsky released his hostage then waved for the rest of his men to lower their guns.

"Well that would have been an excellent reason to shoot everyone." Daniel mumbled.

I knelt on the ground and put my head in my hands, trying to control my breathing. We had been in only one other sandstorm before. I didn't remember much except for how the constant sand blowing in my face made it seem like I was drowning.

Daniel came over and put his hand on my back. "It's going to be okay, we're safe here. You going to be okay?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, I'm going to go over there to talk to Kasuf," I looked over to where Kasuf and Kawalsky were talking. Kawalsky seemed to be apologizing. "Come get me if you need anything."

I sat on the ground for a few more minutes before someone nudged me. "Dani, I'm ok." I responded without looking up."

"Esoy?" a voice that was definitely not Dani's questioned. My head snapped up and I saw the boy, _really needed to learn his name_ , looking down at me with concern.

"Oh, um... Hi." I smiled up at him and he held out his hand smiling back. Taking his hand he helped my up. When we were standing said by side I noticed that he was actually sort of short, though not as short as me, no one is as short as me. My face started to burn slightly when he didn't release my hand.

"Um." Thinking of something to say. "Shashe teu? Sandstorm?" I said using words I heard Kasuf used, they seemed familiar.

The boy's eyes widened and he nodded his head vigorously, "Shashe teu!" he pointed at the gate.

He lead me to where I heard some music coming from. A party had formed around where the rest of my team were sitting with Kasuf. A bunch of women came up and sat down in front of them trays full of various exotic foods.

O'Neill looked up at the boy and I, "I see you made a friend." He said jokingly.

"Huh, what?" I was a little confused. He gestured at our hands and my face burned scarlet when I realized the boy and I were still holding hands.

I bit my lip and plopped myself down next to Kawalsky. The boy let go of me but sat down next to me. The soldiers smirked over at us, but at my death glare they immediately became very interested in the dirt.

"Hey Jackson," O'Neil drew my attention to where he and Dani were side by side. Dani was just about to put a handful of food into him mouth. "I don't think we should be eating the food here."

"I don't know." I called over. I nodded in thanks when the boy handed me a bowl of food that looked like mangoes. He smiled at me then handed me another bowl. "They might consider that an insult." I took a piece of bread from the boy, or at least I think it was bread.

A cheer rose up around us and two women came and placed a huge tray, presumably the main course, in front of Dani and O'Neill. When they pulled the cloth off I wished I had brought a camera to capture the Colonel and Dani's expressions at the fried lizard split open down its back.

"Well." Scoffed Kawalsky. "We wouldn't want to offend them now would we."

I nearly spit out the food I was eating to keep from giggling when the Colonel glared over at Kawalsky.

Daniel tentatively reached forward and took a hunk of the cooked meat from the creature. He scrunched his face up in preparation of a bitter taste, but his expression slowly softened till he was smiling. "Tastes like chicken." he laughed out. "Tastes like chicken." Kasuf was looking at him trying to understand. "Tastes like um... bow-bwock-bwock-bow-bow."

"Jackson!" The Colonel yelled to get him to stop. "You said that was and Egyptian symbol, Clark?" he asked me looking at the gold plaque.

"Yes. It the symbol for the Ancient Egyptian god Ra."

"Do you think it stands to reason that if they knew one Egyptian symbol..." he said tuning his head to look at Dani.

"Yes! Um here." Dani rose walking across the circle to Kasuf. He pulled out the necklace Catherine had given, him. Immediately Kasuf averted his eyes and bowed his head to the ground. "No no, you don't have to do that." Dani got him to rise back up. With his finger Dani began to carve into the sand an Egyptian symbol of greeting. Kasuf stared at the symbol in fearful shock and quickly covered it with his foot. He shot to his feet and called out for the players to stop the music.

"Whats going on?" O'Neill got to his feet, his hand wavering toward his gun.

"It seems like writing is forbidden to them." Daniel answered.

"But forbidden by whom?" I asked.

A group of women surged forward and surrounded Daniel. "Hey, Hey! What are you..." he exclaimed in surprise as they whisked him away.

"Daniel!" I shouted trying to follow, only to be stopped by O'Neill.

"I think he's going to be fine." A ghost of a smile playing on his face.

My eyes widened in realization of what he meant. "Oh." was all I could say.

Author's note: For the Abydonian language I didn't know exactly how it was spelled, so I spelled it as close as I could get it to how it sounded in the movie.


	3. Chapter Three

Author's Note: I don't own Stargate of any of its character. All I own is my OC. I know I've left some parts out and some other parts will be left out since I'm telling this from my oc's point of view she only knows what she sees. I hope you enjoy. The italics in quotations are when the characters are speaking in another language.

Chapter Three

After the meal my team had been led to a tent on the ground level. When I had tried to follow Kasuf had been frantic in trying to dissuade me from going. I guess they weren't to keen on letting a young woman stay in a room with a bunch of older men.

For the moment I sat where we had dinner earlier. A group of women had come and set out a sleeping pallet for me about half an hour ago and now I just sat there. The tent with my team was only about twenty feet away so I didn't feel too exposed, but being alone with no one to talk to kind of sucked.

The boy, what _was_ his name, went into my teams tent. He was in there for about ten minutes. I only caught a few snippets of conversation. Suddenly I heard O'Neill screaming and the boy fled the tent in fear.

 _What the?_ I don't really know why but I took off after him. When I finally caught up he was sitting on a platform at the top of a flight of stairs.

"Hey." I called out tentatively as I climbed the steps.

His head snapped up when he heard me, but he relaxed into a smile and waved for me to sit by him.

Sitting down next to him he turned so that we were facing each other. "Are you ok?" Even though he couldn't speak my language me I hoped he understood my tone of voice.

"Skaara." He said pressing his hand to his chest.

"Skaara?" I repeated.

He nodded his head grinning and pointed at himself again, "Skaara."

I realized it was his name. "Skaara." I smiled pointing at him so he knew I understood. "Erin." I put my hand on my chest.

"Airen." he kind of butchered my name.

"Yes, Erin."

"Airen." Skaara smiled.

He continued speaking, most of it I didn't understand, but a few words caught my attention. I grabbed his arm.

He stopped speaking abruptly and stared down at my hand on his arm. "Opps." I said removing my hand. I hope I hadn't broke some kind of social protocol, they did seem pretty old fashioned.

When he said nothing I repeated the words I recognized.

His face broke into a grin and he repeated himself, straightening out the way I said the words.

" _Do you understand me now?_ " I asked using an old dialect of Egyptian Daniel had taught me. I just adjusted the pronunciation of some of the vowels.

" _Yes, yes! And you understand me?_ " Skarra asked.

I nodded, " _Yes_."

"Skaara!" A boy called from below us.

" _Come._ " Skarra took my hand and we went down to the lower level. "Nebeth." he greeted the boy.

" _Where were you?_ " Nebeth asked as several other boys gathered around us.

" _I was talking to the strangers from away._ " The boys looked at me uncertainly. " _This is Airen._ " Skarra introduced me.

" _Hello_." I said waving my hand shyly. They waved back in synchronization, it was kind of funny.

Skarra reached into a pocked a pulled out a lighter. " _Their leader gave me this._ " He flipped it on and a small flame bounced out. Immediately Nebeth reached his hand forward to see if it was real. He yanked his hand back when it burned him.

I laughed when Skaara slapped Nebeth away when he reached for the flame again.

"Hey you guys." Colonel O'Neill voice called from around the corner. "So this is where you went of to?" He said when he spotted me.

I just shrugged.

"I'm looking for Jackson. Have you seen him?"

"No, I haven't seen him since dinner." shaking my head. "Maybe they know." But before I could ask them O'Neill started talking. Right, I forgot to tell him that we could communicate now.

"I'm looking for Jackson." He held up Daniel's vest. "He's got long hair." he pointed to his hair and all the boys saluted him. "No, no wears glasses so he can see," He put hand goggles over his face they mimicked him.

My sides were hurting from how hard I had started laughing. I should provably interrupt him, but I was enjoying this to much.

"I guess the word dweeb doesn't mean anything to you guys does it?" O'Neill threw his hands up in exasperation. "Come on I'm on planet X looking for a dweeb who wears green fatigues, wears this jacket, and his hair comes over his eye like this," He drew his fingers over his eyes and the boy did the same thing again. "wears glasses and achue sneezes."

"Pow!" Skaara yelled nodding as he realized what O'Neill meant. "Pow! Pow!"

"Yeah, chicken man," O'Neill shouted over the chorus of chicken sounds from the boys. "Chicken man!"

" _Stop!_ " yelled Skaara.

Nebeth kept acting like a chicken, flapping is arms until Skaara slapped him.

" _May I?_ " Skaara asked O'Neill reaching for Daniel's jacket.

"You want this?" O'Neill held up the jacket.

Skaara took the jacket and ran to one of the walking carpet animals and let it sniff it. The creature jumped up and down until Skaara threw the gate open wide and it barreled out. The boys ran after it, hooting all the way.

"What now?" O'Neill came up beside me.

"I suppose we follow." I ran after them, then turned back when O'Neill didn't come to. "Come on."

"Oh sure, like that thing is a blood hound." he grumbled.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

After running across what felt like half the city we found Daniel in in some old catacombs talking to the woman from before.

"I thought you couldn't speak their language?" O'Neill boomed as soon as Daniel came into sight.

"Oh," Dani clutched at his chest, "You scared me."

"Yeah, you and Clark seem to have that in common. Now answer my question." He said curtly.

"Sha're" Skaara greeted the woman.

" _Brother_." She smiled up at him.

" _Brother?_ " I questioned.

O'Neil whirled on me. "You to?"

"Kinda."

"Why didn't you stop me when I was making an idiot of myself?" He hissed.

"Sorry," I squeaked. "But it was just to funny."

He glared at me and turned back to Dani who was still on the floor.

"It's and ancient Egyptian dialect. I mean like the rest of their culture its evolved independently. One you know the vowels..." Dani explained.

"Then it's just a simple matter of getting the pronunciation right." I finished his sentence.

"So that's a yes?"

"Yes." Dani rose from the ground.

"It hasn't been a living breathing language in over two thousand years." He went over to a wall with carving similar to ones I'd seen in Egyptian temples. "I gotta show you all something. It says here a traveler from distant stars escaped an dying world. Looking for a way to extend his own life." His hands traced the hieroglyphs as he told the story. "His body decaying and weak, he couldn't prevent his own demise. His whole species was dying, he traveled the whole galaxy searching, looking for a way to cheat death. Look here, he came to a world rich with life, and he encountered a primitive race, humans. A species with all his knowledge and powers he could maintain indefinitely. He realized that within a human body he had a chance for a new life. Now apparently, a young boy, while everyone else ran and night became day, curious and without fear he walked towards the light. Ra took him and possessed his body, like some kind of a parasite looking for a host." I shivered as he said that last part. "It inhabited his human form and he appointed himself ruler. He used the Stargate to bring thousands of people here to this planet, to work in the mines, like here. Clearly this mineral is the building block for all his technology. So he could sustain his life. Now something happened back on Earth. A rebellion and uprising, the Stargate was buried. Fearful of a rebellion here he banned all reading and writing. He didn't want people to remember the truth."

"So all these people, they're what, his slaves." My voice held an edge of anger.

"Essentially." Daniel grunted shaking his head in disapproval.

"Jackson, Erin I think you better take a look at this." Kawalsky yelled from a nearby room.

In the room we found his was a stone cartosh like the one found in Giza back on Earth.

"That's it, that's what were looking for." Daniel said bending down to brush off the sand caked on its surface. "They must have hidden it here, perhaps hopping that one day the gate to earth may be reopened. I knew they must have written it down some place. Wait a minute, wears the seventh symbol?" At the bottom where the symbol should be there was only a cracked stump. "It must have broken off. It's gotta be here," he found it lying under the sand, only, "its worn off. I can't make it work with out the seventh symbol."

"Alright that's it." O'Neill's voice had taken on a dangerous edge. "Kawalsky, Jackson, Clark come on. We're leaving."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The rest of my team were already heading out the main gate, but I hesitated. Skaara came up next to me.

" _You are leaving_." It wasn't a question.

" _We need to find a way back to our home_." I answered him sadly.

" _May not to many moons pass before we see each other again._ " he said resting a hand on my shoulder in a gesture of farewell.

" _I hope so to_." I backed away from him. " _Goodbye._ "

I turned to follow the rest of the team and found Daniel's gaze lingering on one of the natives in particular, Sha're. "Maybe we'll come back." I tried to be reassuring.

'Maybe."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

We walked for about an hour before we came to the pyramid. However it wasn't the only thing we found. Resting atop it was a glistening gold craft. The ship was using the pyramid as a landing platform!

"What the hell is that?" Daniel stared at the spaceship.

"Here," Kawalsky handed Daniel and I each a hand gun. "You might need these. To turn the safety off you..."

Immediately I flipped the safety off and cocked my gun.

"Never mind."

"Let's move." O'Neill led us into the pyramid.

Scattered inside the enhancer were the rest of the teams gear. Scorch marks and bullet holes marred the walls showing evidence of a fight. Near the dying fire in the center of the room was a distinctive stain of red that could be only one thing.

"Stay close." Daniel whispered in my ear and he pulled right behind him.

O'Neill signaled us to stop moving and we did, but there was the faint sound of footsteps echoing of the walls and ceiling. We weren't alone.

Behind us and a little to the left there was a pained grunt the sound of a body falling to the ground. I turned around to see if I could find the intruder, but I couldn't see anything.

Breathing hard, I tried to control my pounding heart. I gasped when I turned back around and Daniel was gone. I pressed my back against the pillar behind me, trying to make myself as small as possible. A scraping sound, metal scraping across stone came from my other side. It sounded like claws. I peeked out and saw a dark figure duck just out of my sight.

"Airen!" Skaara's voice suddenly reverberated within the chamber. My head shot up and I saw his face starring in through one of the slitted windows. " _Behind you!_ " He shouted.

To late I realized he was trying to warn me and something hard and metallic collided with my stomach forcing all the air out of my lungs and a pained scream with it.

" _No!_ " I heard Skaara through the blurriness the world had become.

Falling to the ground I glanced up at my attacker. I must have been hallucinating because Horus was standing over me.

It grabbed the scuff of my army fatigues and dragged me across the ground deeper into the pyramid. Most of my blond hair fallen out of it's ponytail across my face, obscuring most my vision. A bright light appeared above us and suddenly I found myself in a room I didn't recognize. The creature roughly hulled me up so I was kneeling before a pharaoh's chair in the center of a grand, ornate room.

A few moments later Anubis came in dragging O'Neill and Daniel. Again they were forced to kneel before the throne.

"Erin, are you hurt?" Daniel immediately asked me. One of the creatures surged forward and hit him in the stomach with its staff weapon.

It's meaning was clear, _shut up_.

Drums sounded with in the room and at the far end a door opened. Out poured dozens of children dressed in traditional Ancient Egyptian garments. Following them a man strode elegantly down to the throne. Several of the children carried parts of his opulent robe. His face was covered in a mask made out of precious metals and embellished with numerous jewels. He came to the throne and sat, his back ramrod straight.

When he spoke his voice had a strange, deep reverberation to it like there were two voices layered atop each other. " _You have come here to destroy me._ " He motioned with a wave of his hand at two servants who came forward. They laid down an object in front of us.

"Oh my God." I gasped in horror. "That's a nuke!"

It was unmistakable though I'd never seen one in person. I scooted back as far as I was able until the butt of the Horus' guards weapon hit my back. Stopping me. I didn't want to anywhere near that thing.

"That's what you were looking for." Daniel exclaimed next to me. I had a feeling I was missing something, but right now I really didn't care. "What the hell were you thinking? What did you come here for?"

O'Neill didn't respond, he only glared at the man on the throne in undiluted anger.

I heard a metallic clicking noise and the Horus and Anubis creatures masks pulled back to reveal men beneath.

Up in the throne the man's mask pulled back and young youthful boy appeared. The descriptions from the ancient texts I had read as Daniel's student identified him for me, this man before us was the god Ra in the flesh.

The Colonel shot his hand out and grabbed on the guards staffs and he shot one of the guards before turning to aim the weapon at Ra. All the children rushed forward to surround Ra in blind loyalty. There was no way for Jack to shoot without hitting one of them.

"Jack!" I heard Daniel shouted the Colonel's first name and a blast rung in the air.

The room went stock still. Daniel was lying on his back, a patch of smoke rising from his unmoving chest.

"Daniel!" I screamed and I ran to where he was lying, dead. "No,nonono." I repeated over and over in denial. My brother couldn't be dead. Pulling his head into my lap I rocked his lifeless body. Dimly I heard O'Neill being dragged out of the room.

I don't know how long I sat there, but it wasn't long before a couple of the children came and pulled me off Daniel. They each took one of my hands and lead me into the room they had come out of before.

They sat me down in a cushioned chair in a corner of the room. I drew my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around them, trying to stop my shaking. My mind just couldn't seem to comprehend that Daniel was gone. Nothing that was happening around me registered in my thoughts.

"Erin?" an impossible voice questioned behind me.

"Daniel?!" There he was, alive. Where he had been hit there was only a hole with freshly healed skin. I launched myself at him, wrapping my arms around him tightly and he held me close in return. "You were dead." my voice wavered, my eyes near tears.

" _That's why I choose you race._ " The reverberating voice from before answered from behind a curtain of silky material. Ra rose out of a pool of water and held his arms out. Servants glided forwards to put a robe around him. He continued. " _Your bodies, so easy to repair. You have advanced much, harnessed the power of the atom._ " The bomb had been placed upon an altar in the center of the room.

" _What are you going to do?_ " Daniel slowly inched towards Ra, keeping me close the whole way.

More servants had surrounded Ra and helped him put on a bracelet with a red jewel in the center of the palm. " _You should not have reopened the gate. Soon, I will send your weapon back to your world, with a shipment of our mineral which will increase your weapon's destructive power a hundred fold._ "

Daniel's grip on me tightened. " _Why would you do that?_ "

Ra swiveled his head to look at us, a cruel smile playing on his lips. " _I created your civilization, now I will destroy it._ " he eyes glowed like embers burned behind them. " _But before my workers question my power you will prove that I am their one God, by killing your companions._ "

" _If I refuse?_ " Daniel asked defiantly.

" _Then I will destroy you, and all who have seen you._ " Ra glanced at me, emphasizing his threat. Ra grasped Catherine's necklace around Daniel's neck. He viciously yanked the necklace off, his eyes glowing once more. " _There can be only one Ra_."

P.S. I have mild dyslexia and I apologize for any typos that make it through. I work really hard to edit my chapters.


	4. Chapter Four

Author's Note. I don't own any of Stargate. Italics in quotations indicate that the characters are speaking in another language.

Chapter Four

The Sun beat down from the sky scorching everyone assembled before the pyramid. Ra sat upon his throne, his mask covering his face that I knew held a sick smirk underneath. Below on the ground thousands of natives were forced to their knees. Less than twenty feet away O'Neill, Kawalsky, Feretti, and the remaining survivors of my team were also kneeling, awaiting their executions. Through in the face of imminent death, none of them showed any fear.

Next to me Daniel's hands were shaking. The Anubis guard shoved his staff out of him, waiting for Daniel to take it. Daniel eyes traveled the length of the weapon. I knew he was debating whether to take it.

" _Destroy them!_ " Ra commanded lifting on one of his gold plated fingers.

Daniel looked back at me and took the weapon. He hesitantly moved his feet, trudging down to our team. He switched the staff on, a electric current traveling over the tip.

The Anubis guard grabbed my forearm, his clawed fingers diging in deeply, drawing blood. I had to bite my lip to keep from whimpering. He yanked me back, my feet tripping over each other until I was standing side by side with Ra's throne.

" _Please, don't make him do this._ " I begged the god but he ignored me.

Daniel was about to fire when a reflected light shinned in his face halting him. I saw it too and traced the lights path down into the audience. Skaara stood close to the edge of the ramp with Sha're. In his hand was the lighter O'Neill had given and he was using it to reflect the sunlight into Dani's face. From under his robe he slightly pulled out the butt of a gun.

Daniel nodded his head slowly at O'Neill who twitched his hand to show he got the message. I tensed, ready to spring into action at any moment.

Suddenly he whirled and fired the staff weapon at Ra just barley missing and hitting the wall to his left. The flying rock and debris was enough of a distraction for me to rip my arm from the guard.

My team ran into the mass of people and many of the native rushed forward to throw tan robes over them.

I slid down the ramp after them, my eyes searching for Daniel. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Sha're grab him.

I had almost made it, I was so close. Just a few more feet and I to would be lost in the panicked crowd.

One of the soldiers was fleeing when a blast of fire erupted from his back and knocked him to the ground.

I fell to my knees on the sand next to him and wrapped my hands around his arms. His was so heavy. I could barley hold him up and run at the same time.

"Clark." He choked. Blood came pouring out of his mouth. "Get out of here."

"No!" I shouted. The soldier needed medical attention right now! "We're going to make it. Just a little further."

Without warning a clawed hand grabbed my neck from behind in a vice like grip and the soldier fell out of my arms. My feet came off the ground as the Anubis guard held me up with one arm. My fingernails scraped at his hands while my breaths came in shortening stutters. The sound of a body hitting to the ground told me that soldier didn't make it. Tears leaked out of my eyes.

"Airen!" Skaara was running towards me, having to shove his way through the thick crowd. He raised his gun shooting at the guard. The bullets ricocheted off his armor, but to no effect. A stray bullet

The guard pulled me close, whispering in my ear, " _There is no where to run._ " He shoved his arm forward launching me through the air.

In slow motion my body moved closer and closer to the side of one of the obelisks. I felt a resounding crack as I collided head first with it.

I crumpled too the ground in a heap. None of my limbs moved when I commanded them to. A vicious blackness hovered on the edges of my vision. Something warm was dribbling down the side of my face tinting my vision red. I felt cold.

"Airen!" Shaara's face appeared above me. His mouth was moving, but no I heard no sound coming out. His arms came around me pulling me up, but it felt like it was happening to another person's body.

I couldn't fight anymore. The weights on my eyelids pulled them shut.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Erin." A faintly familiar voice called to me. "Can you hear me? You gotta wake up."

"Come on Kid." another floating voice penetrated the thick veil.

I knew that voice. "Fer-Feretti?"

A hand squeezed mine.

I pried open my eyes and immediately shut them when a bright light pierced the darkness. "Ow!" I moaned raising my hand to shield my eyes.

"Feretti you idiot, shut that thing off." there a a click. From a flashlight?

"Kawalsky?" Opening my eyes again Kawalsky and Feretti's blurred faces slowly came into focus. "What happened?" Glancing around our surroundings I saw we were in a cave with at least a dozen natives. A fire was burning in the center giving off a soft illumination.

"You got hit on the head pretty hard. You've been out for hours." he answered.

"How did I get here? The last thing I remember..."

Kawalsky cut me off. "That boy, Skaara. He carried you the whole way here. Even once we got here it took the both of us to convince him to let go of you so we could take care of your head."

Reaching up I touched my head where I had hit the obelisk. I hissed and jerked my hand away when a jab of pain rushed over my forehead. "How bad is it?"

"You probably have a concussion, though not to serious. There is a gash on the left side of your face just above your eyes that will mostly likely scar. Other than that and some bruises you should be fine." Feretti answered.

"Is everyone else ok?"

"We lost one man." Feretti said sadly. I felt a pang in my chest remembering the soldier I tried to help.

"There's something else." Kawalsky added. "There was a sandstorm, we got separated from O'Neill and Daniel. A few of the boys went out after them along with Skaara and two of our men, but its been hours."

"I have to find them." I tried to sit up. Kawalsky caught my shoulders holding me in place.

"Oh no you don't. If you went out in that storm we'd never find you. These kids know what their doing," he gave me a reassuring smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, "I'm sure they'll find them."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

I had dozed back off after a few hours of waiting for the boys to come back. I was hovering just on the edge of consciousness when I felt a hand gently shaking my shoulder. Slowly I sat up to avoid a rush of pounding in my head.

The woman I had seen with Daniel was holding out a bowl of water in her hand. _"Hello,"_ I said. _"Sha're right?"_

 _"Yes."_ She smiled sadly at me. " _You should drink before you become ill._ "

" _Thank you._ " Taking the bowl I tried to refrain from gulping down the water.

She nodded but her eyes kept glancing worriedly at the cave's entrance. "I _worry for them. Skaara has faced storms in the open before, but never has he been gone as long as this. But if anyone can find Dan-yell and O'Neel, he can._ " Sha're took a deep breath to calm herself. " _They will be back soon."_

Hooting came from the entrance as several men stumbled in from the storm outside and collapsed to the ground.

" _See?_ " Sha're smiled.

" _Do you think you could help me over to them?_ " I asked getting to my unsteady feet.

" _Of course_." She wrapped one of her arms around my shoulder and held my hand with the other.

Daniel sat on the floor of the cave taking in deep gulps of air. Sha're sat me next to him then took a bowl of water from one of the other women to hand to Daniel.

" _Thank you._ " he croaked, finishing the whole bowl in one gulp.

When he was finished I wrapped my arms around him in a crushing hug. "Hey Erin. I'm fine, I'm okay. Um,"he tried to pull away, "but I still need oxygen."

Quickly I dropped my arms. "Sorry."

"Skaara!" I heard Sha're call to her brother. He had barely gotten the heavy gear from earth off before she pulled him to her in a hug.

I smiled to myself resting my head on Dani's shoulder.

" _To our victory!_ " Skaara shouted gleefully. He handed his gun to O'Neill who was sitting across from Dani and I. " _We recovered your weapons._ "

"Hey Colonel. So what do you think?" Kawalsky plopped down on O'Neill left side. "They aren't special forces, but they sure are eager to join up."

O'Neill's face twitched as he looked down at the weapon in Skaara's hands. Angrily he ripped the gun away from him. "Take these away from them before they hurt themselves."

"Sir?" Kawalsky was confused. But I was getting the sense that there was something going on with the Colonel that we didn't know about.

"Send them all home." O'Neill ordered.

"There's no place for these kids to go, anyway we could sure use their help right now." reasoned Kawalsky.

O'Neill blew. "To do what huh? To do what?!"

All the separate conversations that had been going on between the natives minutes before had abruptly cut off as they all stopped to watch us. Skaara glanced over at me, a question of whether to intervene was in his eyes. Shaking my head slightly, indicating him to stay put, my eyes went back to the fuming Colonel.

"Why don't you just tell them everything?" Daniel glared up at the Colonel, visibly shaking. "Why don't you tell them about the bomb?"

"What's he talking about?" Kawalsky demanded.

"My orders were simple." O'Neill fell back to the ground with a huff. He drew his knees up resting his arms on them. His eyes meet with each of his remaining men before he proceeded. "Track down any signs of danger, and if I found any blow up the Stargate. Well I found some." he laugh humorlessly.

"Well your bomb is his now. " Daniel growled, I hadn't seen him this angry or serious before. "And he is going to send it back to earth with a shipment of the mineral. And when it goes off the blast of be a hundred times more powerful that what the bomb alone is capable of."

"I'll intercept that bomb before he can send it through." O'Neill cut him off with a clipped statement.

"Why wasn't I told of this?" Kawalsky looked at his superior in shock.

"Because there wasn't any reason to tell you Kawalsky." He shouted. "You were all supposed to go right back through the gate with Daniel and Erin. I was going to stay behind and blow up the Stargate, and that's exactly what I'm gonna do."

"Its the gate on earth that poses a threat, that's the one we need to shut down." Daniel said.

"You absolutely right, but since you don't know how to get us back we don't have that option do we?" O'Neill rose and stalked off deeper into the cave.

I rose to follow him.

Daniel grabbed my hand. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to talk to him."

"I don't think that's a good idea right now." Kawalsky mumbled throwing some dirt into the fire.

"Someone has to try." My wobbly legs carried my in the general direction O'Neill went.

" _Do you need help?_ " Skaara stood holding onto one of my arms to steady me.

" _I'm fine._ " I assured him.

" _What has happened?_ " he swept his hand to where the rest of my team was still sitting.

I sighed, " _I don't really know, but I'm going to find out_."

" _It will be okay, I'm sure it will._ " he said

" _I hope so._ " I brushed my hand over his. " _I'll be back._ " Skaara let go and went to sit by Daniel.

Continuing after O'Neill I found him in a darker part of the cave. He sat staring off into space absentmindedly twirling a knife in his hands.

"Colonel O'Neill?" I asked softy lingering in the doorway of the chamber. When he didn't answer I tentatively used his first name. "Jack?" The only indication I got that he heard me was that he stopped playing with his knife setting it on the ground. "You accepted that fact that no matter what happened, you weren't going home. Why?" My voice hitched. "Don't you have people who care about you? Don't you have a family?"

"I had a family. No one should have to outlive their own child." He spoke with no feeling but the constant pain that had been ever present in his eyes made sense now.

"I'm so sorry." I got on my knees so we were eye level. "But your men, they don't want to die. These people don't deserve to die. They have families, children." Carefully to see how he would react, I place one of my hands over his. "Help us safe them."

"That wont be easy."

"I know it wont be easy, but its the right thing to do." I said.

He meet my eyes for the first time since I found him, "We'll try."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The day had grown late and everyone was winding down from the whirlwind of events that this day had been. Around the fire sat Skaara, his friends and I. I was resting my still pounding head against the side of the cool cave wall. The bandage that Kawalsky had changed a few hours before was itching and was really getting on my nerves. I had caught only one glimpse of my injury earlier in a mirror I had found in Dani's vest. A deep red gash ran the length of my left eyebrow and curved down the side of my cheekbone. My little reminder from where I had hit the sharp edge of the obelisk. What remained of my team treated me like I was made of glass, insisting that they do everything for me, even bring me water. I was grateful for their concern but I drew the line when they tried to hold to bowl for me.

But this wasn't the only thing I noticed that was different. On several occasions I found Skaara staring at me in concern, sometimes even regret. Whenever I stumbled he was always the first there to catch me. What surprised me more was how bereft I felt each time he let go of me. It was strange, I mean we'd only known each other for a few days. And yet he saved my life, saved Daniel and O'Neill and carried me all the way here. .

"Hey Erin," Daniel sat down beside me. "Are you hungry?"

"Oh yeah." My stomach grumbled, it'd been almost a day and a half since I'd eaten last.

"I'll get you something." He scooped out some mashed food from bowls set around the fire after they'd finished cooking.

"Dani, you really don't have to..." Across the fire Skaara and Nebeth were snickering to each other, "Skaara?"

He stopped laughing and glanced at me sheepishly.

" _What's so funny?_ " Daniel asked handing me the bowl of food.

I was so hungry that I immediately took a mouthful, not caring about how it tasted.

Skaara grinned up at him, " _Husbands don't do this kind of work._ "

"What?!" I screeched, which I probably shouldn't have because I almost inhaled my food.

Daniel scrunched his face up in concentration. Suddenly his eyes widened and he met Sha're's gaze. Slowly he rose and walked over to where she had retreated into a makeshift tent.

They were to far away to hear any of the words that they said to each other. Sha're looked away from Daniel and fixed her eyes on the ground sadly. Daniel reached up brushing his hand across her face. He leaned forward and softly kissed her.

Skaara got up and pulled the flap over the entrance to the tent giving them privacy.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The sound of rock scraping on rock woke me late in the night. Skaara was crouched by a wall of the cave carving symbols in to its surface.

Pulling the covers off my legs I stepped around the sleeping bodies to make my way to him.

" _Hi._ " I joined him on the ground drawing my knees to my chest.

" _Should you not be sleeping_?" Skaara put down his tools.

" _Shouldn't you be sleeping too_?" I countered.

He took a deep breath before answering. " _I couldn't sleep._ "

" _Me neither_." reaching out I ran my fingers across the fresh carving Skaara had made on the wall. " _What are you doing?_ "

" _I am drawing the day of our victory_." he said triumphantly old up his tools.

For a few minutes neither of us spoke. Sleep was tugging at my mind, begging me to come back.

" _I am sorry._ " Skaara said breaking the silence. The grief he held in his voice jerked me awake.

" _You sorry_?" I asked incredulously. " _For what?_ "

" _For this._ " He lightly touched my forehead where the bandage covered the gash. He was so gentle that my head didn't give one twinge of pain.

" _My head, you didn't._.."

" _But I was the cause. If I hadn't attacked the guards then you would not have been injured. If I had been quicker_."

I had to stop him. " _Hey, hey. None of this is your fault_." Tentatively I took his hand in mine. When he didn't pull away I continued. " _If you hadn't done what you did O'Neill, Kawalsky, and Feretti would all be dead. And after Ra had his way he would have killed Daniel and I. No one is to blame except Ra. I certainly don't blame you. I never have_."

It was then I realized how close we had gotten. Our faces got closer and closer until just one more inch and... we both leaned forward at the same time and our lips met. He brushed a hand through my hair careful of my bandage.

I never believed in the proverbial fireworks that were supposed to go off when you kissed someone, that was until now. For the moment nothing seemed to matter. It might have been a minute or a few hours and I doubt either of us would have noticed.

"Whoa. _Were'd that come from?_ " I whispered when we stopped to breath.

"Uhem." A familiar voice cleared their throat behind us.

Skaara and I jumped apart like we had been electrocuted.

"Daniel." I was gasping for air. Part of the reason was the shock of Daniel's sudden arrival, the other had nothing to do with Dani and everything to do with a certain dark haired boy.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."

That was an obvious lie. No matter how old I was, he was always going to see me as his little sister.

"What's that?" he asked pointing behind us. Daniel's face was blushing deep purple and he was careful to keep from making eye contact with us. "Wait a minute." he rushed between where we were sitting almost knocking us over, all embarrassment forgotten. He began mumbling to himself, "Connect the moons, this is it, this is the symbols for this planet. We found it." he bellowed wrapping me in a tight hug.

"Jackson, what are you doing?' A newly awaken, and rather grumpy Kawalsky demanded.

"We found it." Daniel repeated a little louder.

"What are you talking about?"

"The seventh symbol, we're going home!"

Deep down I knew I should feel over-joyed at this, but I couldn't help the odd burning pain I felt in my chest when I thought about leaving this place. Ever since we had lost our parents no place seemed like home. No group of group of people felt right, then we came here.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Ra had doubled the works load of his slaves, punishment for daring to aid his enemies. The people had to work the mines now constantly, no time for rest.

O'Neill had gotten us up at the crack of dawn to do recon on Ra's men at the mines. We now wore hoods to hide our faces as we lifted and hauled the mineral Ra demanded.

Skaara and I were working side by side. As he passed a bucket of ore to me I in turn passed it to the next person in line. One of the guards strode by and Skaara tensed next to me. I ducked my head so guard wouldn't see my face.

A middle aged man carrying a huge hunk of rock, that should have been carried by at least two men, collapsed under its weight. The Horus guard drew his lacerated whip, bringing it down again and again on the screaming men.

"I've had enough of this." O'Neill's lips tuned up in a snarl.

He threw off his disguise distracting the guard. Before he could bring his weapon around O'Neill squeezed the trigger on his gun pumping the guard full off bullets in a weak spot in his side armor. The guard stumbled back clawing at his sides like he could dig out the bullets. Then he fell to the ground, dead.

All the people ceased their work, reminding me eerily of the first day we came here.

With the only threat gone the rest of us pulled off our robes. After I had mine off Skaara took my hand and we started after the rest of the team heading towards the pyramid.

Kasuf plowed though the shocked crowd shouting in panic. " _You will bring disaster to all of us son!_ "

Kasuf grabbed Skaara's shoulders trying to force him to kneel on the ground with him.

Skaara shook off his hands, _"Father we will not live as slaves!_ "

But Kasuf ignored him. By now all his people had fallen to their knees. Various mumbled prayers of forgiveness were filtering through the air.

" _No! No!._ " Skaara continued to shout. " _Get up!_ "

"Kasuf." Daniel called to leader uncharacteristically grave. " _Take a look at your gods_." he pressed a button on the guards Horus mask. A metallic clicking sound was accompanied by the mask retracting to show a dark skinned man beneath. " _Take a good look._ "

Kasuf's rose to his feet staring down at the dead body that he had moments earlier considered a god.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Here's the plan." O'Neill had us huddled behind a sand dune in front of the pyramid. "Daniel and I will go in with a group of natives, try to take out the guards in the immediate vicinity. Kawalsky, Feretti and Clark will remain outside ready to come in once we have taken out the guards inside. The priory is to intercept that bomb before Ra can send it through to Earth. We clear?"

"Yes sir." his men answered.

"Hey Clark." O'Neill grabbed my arm when I started forward with the rest of the group.

"What Jack?"

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" he waved his hand in the general direction of my head, which still pounded faintly.

"Truthfully, no." I cocked my handgun. "Lets do this."

O'Neill smiled faintly at my enthusiasm. "Move out." He stowed his own weapon under his robe and hefted one side of the cart full of Ra's mineral. Daniel and Sha're each took another peg of the cart. Skaara, myself, and the rest of our team trialed behind.

Two guards were stationed outside the pyramids with their staff weapons trained on us. One of the guards was the Anubis guard who had shot the solider I had tried to save. I felt a hot wave of hate roll through me.

Slowly we made our way up the ramp. The group carrying the cart disappeared into the darkness of the pyramid.

Skaara tiled his head slightly and whispered to me, " _What now?_ "

" _Now, we wait for O'Neill's signal. Then we move in_." I took a deep breath to steady my nerves.

Kawalsky and Feretti were adjusting their robes so that they would be ready to throw them off and there was the distinct sound of the safeties on their guns being flipped off.

We didn't have to wait long. Gunfire rang out from inside. Running up the ramp we hefted our guns out and shot at the opening where a guard stood ready to fire his weapon at us. The bullets bounced off his armor.

A stone door began to lower from the top of the door way. Just as we were about to reach it the guard activated his weapon. I saw energy crackle off the end as the guard took aim at Skaara.

"Skaara!" I screamed and barreled into his back knocking him to the ground. The blast sizzled the air as it passed above us.

The was a loud thud and the stone door closed, sealing us out of the pyramid.

Skaara got up pulling me with him.

" _Are you ok?_ " I asked him, a little winded.

" _I'm fine. Thank you_." He to was breathing hard as he pressed his forehead to mine.

A screeching electronic buzzing rang out and two black boomerang shaped ships exited from the mother-ship.

" _We must find cover, now!_ " Skaara stared at the ships in horror. He grabbed my arm as we ran the rest of the way up the ramp and dove into the limited shelter of the doorway. The ships fired a blast of energy and where we had just been standing exploded in rock and dust.

Blast after blast kept us crouching where we were.

"We have to do something." Feretti screamed over the explosions.

"I've got an idea." Kawalsky stood and looked back at the rest of us. "Cover me!" And he promptly ran out shooting at the ships.

" Cover you?!" Feretti yelled in disbelief at the same time I screamed, "With what?"

"He's gonna get himself killed." Then Feretti followed him along with most of the native boys.

I tried to run after them but as soon as I came out into the open the concussion of a nearby blast knocked me back.

Someone grabbed my arm and pulled me back into the doorway. When the dust cleared I saw that it was Skaara's friend Nebeth.

" _Thanks._ " I yelled trying to be heard over the battle.

Suddenly we had to duck to avoid debris when yet another blast came to close for comfort. A huge hunk of rock hit Nebeth in the head, but he was unhurt thanks to the military helmet he was wearing. Next time we might not be so lucky.

" _We cannot stay here._ " Below at the end of the ramp I could barely make out through the dust a makeshift fox hole where Kawalsky had gathered everyone. " _When I say we have to make a run for it. We need to get to that hole. Stay right by me._ "

" _I'm ready._ " Nebeth said though he was slightly shaking. Now more than ever was his young age showing.

In the air above the ships were making another pass. I tensed up waiting for the right moment. The ships stopped midair and started to swing back around, " _Now!_ " I screamed and I grabbed Nebeth's hand as we barreled down the ramp.

"Nebeth! Airen!"Skaara's panicked voice broke my concentration on the ground I was running on. I looked to him and saw Kawalsky holding him back from running to us.

"What the?" A buzzing filled the air, closer than it should have been. The ships were right over us. I had misjudged how long it should have taken for them to reach us again.

bright orange fire shot out of glider and pounded into the ramp. The ground mere meters from our feet began being ripped apart. Where our feet was one second was a smoldering mess of molten rock the next. As we ran the blasts chased us. There was no where to go except for one path, not the best but it was going to have to do.

I made a snap decision.

Wrapping my arms around Nebeth's waist I threw us off the side of the ramp.

Nebeth's helmet went flying off as the last blast propelled us forward in midair.

We landed, hard. The soft sand only slightly cushioned our fall.

" _Come on."_ I placed one of Nebeth's arms over my shoulders and helped him up. He was limping slightly as we made our way to the fox hole.

When we got closer I could heard Skaara and many of the other young boys crying in grief. Feretti was firing at the enemy screaming out a string of profanities. Kawalsky just sat staring at his gun in shock.

"What's going on?' I questioned, hefting Nebeth over the sandbag wall and them tumbling over it myself.

They all started when they heard me. Each of their faces we're equal parts shock and joy.

"Erin?" Kawalsky grabbed me into a hug. "You're alive!"

"Aren't I usually?" I laughed patting him on the back.

"Kid!" Feretti called over still firing. "You gave us one hell of a scare."

"Nebeth! Airen!" Skaara rushed to us and wrapped us in a hug. When we pulled back Skaara caught my face in his hands, his grip was tight.

" _We're fine, we're._.." I started but was cut off when Skaara crushed his lips to mine. Whatever I had been about to say went out the proverbial window.

"Hey." Feretti shouted sounding somewhat annoyed. "I hate to break this up but were kinda in the middle of a war."

Skaara and I broke apart and he handed my a gun lying one the ground. "Right!" I said taking fire at the guards that had begun to approach on foot.

Kawalsky's gun stopped firing. "Feretti, you got any rounds left?"

"No!" he shouted when his gun also ran out. "What about you Erin?"

My gun clicked and the stream of bullets ceased. "Crow! I'm out to." I yelled throwing my gun down.

All our guns were running out of bullets. Skaara's gun, the last one with ammo finally ran out to.

The guards were still getting closer, though the ships had thankfully stopped blasting at us.

"Kawalsky we've got to do something." Feretti said.

Kawalsky rose and stepped out of the fox hole with his arms raised in surrender.

Skaara tried to grab him, " _No, no! What are you doing_?"

"Hey! Hey!" Kawalsky shouted to the approaching guards with his hands up. He knelt down on the ground keeping his arms out at his sides. Slightly waving his right hand in a forward motion he gestured for us to follow his example.

One by one we rose from the fox hole, careful to keep our hands above our heads. We knelt in a line with Kawalsky on my left and Skaara on my right.

The guards kept approaching until they stopped about ten feet from us. They held their staffs trained on us and kept their masks up, making it impossible to discern what they were thinking about doing to us.

Their mechanical masks twisted in an inhuman way side to side taking all of us in. In a swift motion they activated their staffs and energy crackled out ready to fire.

Oh, God. We surrendered and they were still going to kill us.

I felt Skaara grasp my hand tightly and I reached out grabbing Kawalsky's hand. We raised our heads, staring directly at the guards in defiance. If they were waiting for us to cower or beg, they were going to be disappointed.

A battle cry echoed from high on a sand dune in the distance. The guards swirled around.

There was Kasuf yelling with his staff raised high in the air. He turned behind him and waved his staff forward. A line of people all around the pyramid appeared holding axes and pickets and clubs.

Normally these weapons would be useless against a powerful staff weapon. However the guards were outnumbered a thousand to one, and they knew it.

The crowd ran as one towards us, brandishing their weapons. After firing futility at the crowd the guards resorted to swiping at the people with their staffs. In a matter of minutes they had been overpowered by the natives, disappearing beneath the numerous waves of weapons and people. The guards Horus masks were thrown of into the air in triumph.

Skaara grabbed my arm and pulled me atop some rumble where. From there we could see everything. Skaara shouted up at the sky pumping his gun in the air. I couldn't help but laugh, joining him in relief and joy.

A faint shaking rumbled through the ground.

I threw my hands out to keep my balance atop the unstable rubble. I cautiously glanced behind me. Ra's ship was beginning to rise from the pyramid. " _Skaara! The ship is leaving_." I shouted to him.

As everyone noticed the rising ship the elated cried died down until all was silent except for the techno-rumble of the ship.

A horrible thought entered my mind. What if Ra planned to destroy us from above? Surely he had such weapons.

"Oh no." With the ship right above there was nowhere to run. I turned to Skaara and he must have seen my horrified expression.

" _What is it?_ "

" _Ra is going to bomb the planet!_ "

Skaara's eyes widened and he wrapped his arms around as we watched in silence the ship getting farther and farther away.

A blinding white light erupted. _This is it._ I tuned my face away, not wanting to see.

" _Airen look!_ "

I opened my eyes. The light dulled till only the wreckage of Ra's ship floating space was visible.

"Thank God!" I sank to the ground in relief.

The dust from the battle began to settle. Three figures stumbled out of the pyramid. Jack, Sha're and, "Daniel!" I shouted running to him, carefully maneuvering around the gaping holes in the ramp.

When I reached him I crushed him in a hug. With one arm still around Sha're, he wrapping one arm around my waist tight lifting my feet off the group before putting me down. After he let me got Daniel turned to Sha're. They stared at each other intensely before leaning towards each other kissing passionately.

I felt my cheeks redden, this was a seriously private moment between them. Trying to keep my embarrassment under control I turned to Jack who was grinning ear to ear unabashedly at the two of them.

"So how you doing?" Silly question, but I asked anyway.

"Oh you know, kill the bad guy, free a planet, save the world, same old same old." He answered with a smile that actually reached his eyes for once. and clapped me on the back. The real Jack seemed to be finally emerging.

A booming cheer arose from the thousand of people. Kasuf lead them from atop a bolder. With every cry of victory he pumped his staff in the air.

Skaara had gathered what was left of our team and the boys who had fought with us in the fox hole around his spot upon the rubble where I had left him. Amidst the cheering they grew silent. With swift synchronized motion they raised their right hand over their eyes in a crisp salute to Jack.

If it was possible Jack's grin grew larger as he returned the salute.

Next to me Daniel and Sha're had come back to reality and I glanced at them then back at the people gathered around the pyramid.

"Daniel?"

"Hm?"

"What do we do now?"


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

In the gate room the blue watery reflection of the activated gate rippled off the sandy walls of the chamber deep within the pyramid.

"I always knew you'd get us back." Feretti clapped Daniel on the back. He probably didn't mean to hit him that hard, but never the less Daniel stumbled forwards.

Daniel laughed in the way he only did with friends, so much had changed these last days. "Yeah right." he joked.

So much _had_ changed. Jack had insisted that I put on all my gear so I'd be ready to go through the gate. I stood apart from the goodbyes on the steps to the gate, my eyes traveling back and forth between the gate home, and a certain dark haired boy who stood far back in the chamber trying not to meet my gaze as I left for my home. Maybe home wasn't where I thought it was anymore.

"Thanks Daniel." Kawalsky said cheery as he walked past Daniel on his way up to the gate.

Daniel wrapped his arm around Sha're who leaned her head on his shoulder. Already in native clothing, it was clear what Daniel was going to do.

Jack was heading up the steps to the gate and stopped pivoting on one foot to face Daniel, "You sure you wanna do this?"

A smile tugged on Daniel lips and he glanced down at the woman in his arms. Looking back up at Jack he answered, "Yeah Jack, I'm sure."

"You gonna be alright?" Jack asked for the umpteenth time.

"I'm gonna be alright. How bout you?" Daniel's question had more than one meaning.

"Yeah," Jack took a deep breath looking around the chamber, "yeah I think so." He turned back to the gate, admiring the wavy blue surface for a moment. "Okay, let go home."

It sounded so final to me. My heart was pounding and I couldn't breath as I looked up at the gate. My hands were shaking, I looked around the room for a way out, which at any other moment would seem ridiculous.

In my frantic search Daniel caught my gaze. He didn't say anything as we looked at each other. After all the years we've known each other he could tell what I was thinking. With a slight nod of his head he gave me permission to do what I needed to. That was all I needed.

I rushed down the steps and threw myself into the crowd around the gate. They parted like a sea to let me through. I ran until I found my target, and there he stood with shock written all over his face.

" _What are you..._ " he started but he never finished. This time I was the one who cut _him_ off.

I had to stand on my tip toes to throw my arms around his neck as I crushed my lips to his. I would have fallen back if he hadn't wrapped his arms around me. After a few minutes we had to stop for a moment to breath. Skaara leaned his forehead against mine grinning wide. He leaned down and kissed me, I could feel him smiling against my lips as he picked me up and twirled my around in a circle.

Whoops and hollers echoed off the walls. The loudest of all was Nebeth. Back towards the gate Jack mumbled something that sounded like, "I had a feeling."

Skaara and I broke apart and ran towards the gate to stand next to Daniel and Sha're.

"So, I guess you'll be staying to?" Jack laughed down at us.

"Yes." I said smiling up at Skaara.

Our team started to go through the gate, Feretti and Kawalsky waving goodbye just before stepping through the vent horizon.

Jack was the last yet to go, "I'll be seeing you around." He said smiling at us before stepping backwards through the gate.

-Two Years Later-

I sat on Skaara's lap at our evening meal. He held me tight against his chest so I wouldn't fall off as I laughed till my sides hurt. Nebeth, who I had been trying to teach English for the past year, had tried to ask for a bowl of water and instead asked for a "Rowing river."

Skaara, who had become fluent in English quite quickly laughed beside me.

Suddenly Daniel came running in out of breath. In his hands he carried a box of some sort.

"What is wrong Dan'yell?" Skaara asked tightening his arms around me.

Daniel held the box up, for us to see.

"A tissue box?" I scrunched my brows as I looked at the earth object, I wonder where Daniel had found that.

"No." Daniel shook his head, still out of breath and capable of only one word answers.

"Yes." I insisted.

"No."

"Yes." I took the box from him.

"No,a message from Jack."" Daniel turned it over. Black writing covered one side.

'We're coming back.'


	6. Chapter Six: The Children of the Gods

Chapter Six

Children of the Gods

The gate activated bringing all the conversation in the gate room to a halt.

"Everyone take up your weapons," Daniel shouted, "Take cover and keep out of sight."

I picked up my handgun loading another magazine, "Dani, what if it is Jack?"

"If it is we'll be fine, but if its not..."

"I understand." I said. Jack wouldn't have sent us a message if everything was going well. Who knows what was happening.

Sha're ran past carrying one of the many children in her arms. Daniel caught her arm, "Sha're, will you go with Erin."

"Yes husband," she herded the children toward her and Dani's tent, "Come children."

I started to follow, "Take care of them Erin." Daniel called to me before taking up position next to Skaara behind one of the great round pillars.

"I will." Skaara caught my eyes. He mouthed "go". I nodded my head before steeping back into the tent.

I knelt on the ground just inside the tent so no one outside would be able to see me while I would be able to see the whole chamber. Aiming my gun at the gate there was nothing left to do but wait. A couple of children whimpered behind me and I tried to give them a comforting smile.

Out of the watery blue came several men, though clearly dressed in Earth gear, I didn't recognize any of them. Next came a woman who promptly ran down the steps putting her head between her knees like she was going to throw up. I was really starting to get nervous when Kawalsky and Feretti came through followed up by Jack. With a zip the gate shut off.

"I think I'm gonna be sick." The woman called out to her teammates.

Jack came up behind her and playfully patted her on the back, "Maybe you shouldn't have the big lunch eh?"

The Abydonians who hadn't met Jack, Kawalsky or Feretti the first time they came here rushed forwards with their guns at the ready.

Daniel and I ran out to stop them at the same time, "Chahade! Chahade!" I shouted raising my hands up.

"Lower you guns." Daniel said calmly waving his hands down.

Skaara came out from his hiding place to stand beside me. Smiling up at our newly returned friends he reached out so we were holding hands.

"Hello Jack. Welcome back." Daniel went forward to greet him.

However Jack only had eyes for Skaara as he brushed past Daniel.

Skaara snapped to attention saluting Jack. Jack grinned widely retuning the salute. "Skaara!"

"O'Neill!" Skaara grabbed him into a hug. "I did not think to be seeing you again!" He said stepping back holding Jack at arms length.

Jack then turned to me, "Hey Erin." He had to lean far down to give me a hug.

"Hi Jack! It's good to see you." I smiled wrapping my arms around his neck.

When he let go I saw Daniel standing a ways back looking a dejected puppy. Jack finally turned to greet him, "Hey Daniel how you doing?"

"Good. You?" My brother crossed his arms still feeling a bit jilted.

"Better, now that I know everyone's ok." Jack let out what sounded like a sigh of relief.

"Greetings from Earth Dr. Jackson." Feretti walked down from the steps clapping Daniel on the shoulder. He strode past Daniel and came to me pulling me into another hug. "Hey Kid."

"Hey Feretti!" He picked me up off the ground then putting my down he grinned over at Skaara giving him a quick salute.

Kawalsky approached Daniel next mischief showing on his face. "Brought a little something for you." He handed Daniel a pocket pack of tissues.

Daniel grinned at the little gift in his hands, "Kawalsky! Oh you shouldn't have!"

I laughed to leaning into Skaara when he put his arms around me.

Jack looked between the two of us, "So I assume you two are still..." He said waving his hand back and forth.

"We are betrothed!" Skaara stated proudly grinning down at me.

Feretti's jaw dropped and Kawalsky made a surprised, choking, sputtering sound. I couldn't help but grin at their reactions.

"I guess our kids are all grown up." Kawalsky murmured to Feretti when the shock wore off.

"And I assume my invitation was lost in the mail?" Jack looked a little hurt.

'I wanted to ask you to Shaloke." Skaara said to his surrogate father figure. He had told me of this wish, but with the gate to Earth most likely sealed, the chances of it happening were slim. Now that Jack was back maybe he could get his wish.

"Shaloke?" Jack said confused.

"To stand beside me." Skaara explained.

Jack's face was still scrunched up like he still didn't understand.

"Like a best man." I added.

Jack breathing in relief, "A best man, oh that's good." I don't want to know where his mind went. "I would be honored."

Looking around the chamber everyone was coming out their hiding places. Wait, someone was missing. I tugged on Daniel's sleeve when he walked past. "Dani. I think Sha're is still in the tent."

Daniel glanced at his tent and saw Sha're peeking out, "Sha're is ok, don't be shy" She came out, walking into Daniel's open arms.

"Nice to see you again." Jack grinned charmingly at her causing her to blush.

Daniel began to absentmindedly rub her shoulders, "So I figured it was only a matter of time before you had to tell the truth about us being here."

"Yep. Why the militia? Something else come though here?"

I didn't like the sound of where this was going. For the first time I noticed how many weapons they had brought with them. We were all friends. Surely they didn't need all that?

"No we're just taking precautions. Why?"

"Wow!" A shouting voice interrupted. "this is what was missing from the dig at Giza, this is how they controlled it. It took us 15 years and ten supercomputers to Macgyver a system for the gate on earth." The woman was standing by the dialing device for the gate pouring over it like it was the most the most fascinating thing she'd ever seen.

"Captain." Jack said quietly.

"Look how small it is." She almost giggled running her hands over the plates holding the symbols for dialing.

"Captain." a little louder.

"Oh, right sorry." She snapped out of it. "Dr. Jackson, Miss Clark I presume. I'm Dr. Samantha Carter." She held out her hand which we both shook.

"I though you wanted to be called Captain." Jack sounded annoyed. Captain Carter just shrugged her shoulders.

"What's going on Jack?" I interjected when it seemed weren't going to get a straight answer as to what was really going on anytime soon.

Jack went military mode"Six hostile aliens came through the gate on Earth, four are death, one missing. "

"One of them looked like Ra." Kawalsky added.

At hearing the name of their former false god everyone stiffed. Sha're glanced up at Daniel, her eyes wide. Skaara tightened his arms around me and glowered.

"Well they didn't come through here. The boys take shifts 36 hours a day very day we would know if they came from here." Daniel said raising a hand to point at our camp around the gate.

"Well they came from somewhere Daniel. We're going to have to take a look around." Jack looked around suspiciously, expecting Ra to jump out of the shadows.

"I think I can help you but it is going to have to wait until after the sandstorm is over." Daniel stated quickly. The storm had picked up shortly after sundown making travel outside impossible. "We were about to have our evening meal why don't you join us?"

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

It was a little later in the evening than we usually ate. By now the fire would be almost snuffed out, but it still burned strong and hot. We all sat around it eating and catching up on the last two years.

"O'Neill," Skaara handed him a bowl of clear liquid, "try this."

"What's this?" Jack asked taking the bowl, careful not spill any of it.

"Drink." Skaara glanced at me smirking conspiratorially. I had to hide my grin.

Jack held the bowl to his face taking a sniff. His nose scrunched and he jerked his head back, "Moonshine?"

"Moonshine?" Skaara tested the word out. Daniel had never told him the Earth word for it.

"Yeah moonshine, as in boos." Seeing that none of this sparked any recognition from Skaara Jack looked across the fire where Dani sat with Sha're in his arms, "Daniel, what have you been teaching these kids?"

Skaara laughed and slapped Jack playfully on the shoulder, "Try it."

"Alright. Skaara's moonshine. I'll give it a shot." He took a small sip. Jack's eyes flew open as he sputtered out what he had tried to swallow and nearly dropping the bowl, spilling most of what remained in it. "Smooth, very smooth!" He managed between deep breaths.

Skaara clapped his hands and said proudly. "Moonshine!"

"Our little soldiers are all grown up." Kawalsky nudged Jack before taking the bowl to try some himself.

Jack gladly handed it over, barely able to speak. "Yeah, I'm so proud."

I noticed Carter trying to keep from laughing by stuffing some food in her mouth.

Reaching into his robes Skaara pulled out the lighter Jack had given him and handed it to him, "O'Neill, your lighter."

"Oh." Jack said taking the small silver object. He turned it over in his hand in astonishment, "I gave it to you to keep. It's your's remember." Jack handed it back to Skaara.

He took it putting the lighter back in his robe and beaming at Jack. Skaara strode out of the circle towards some of his friends. As he passed me he leaned down to kiss me, I wrapped my hand his neck and pulled him closer.

Reluctantly he pulled away, "I will be right back."

"Okay." We held hands till we couldn't any longer and his fingertips left mine as he jogged to the pyramid's entrance.

"You know," Daniel spoke when Skaara was out of hearing range, "he's never let that out of his sight the whole time you were gone."

Jack was even more surprised, "Really?" He glanced at the front of the chamber where Skaara had disappeared.

"So this man who looked like Ra, he must have come from a different gate." Daniel said changing the subject.

"What gate?" Asked Jack.

"No, the Stargate only goes here." Carter emphasized her statement by jerking her thumb down at the ground.

"You may be wrong about that." I was thinking back to a certain discovery Dani made about a year ago.

Carter persisted, "I was there. We ran hundreds of permutations."

"But you didn't have what you needed."

"Erin, what are you talking about?" Jack said curtly as he did when he wanted info, now. Uh-oh, grumpy Jack was coming on.

I took a quick glance at Dani, pleading for help.

Daniel quickly stepped up to explain. "Shortly after you all left Erin and I were exploring when we found something. I...I really can't describe it to you. Your all gonna need to see it for yourselves."

Skaara came running back in at that moment, "Dan-yell, the storm has passed."

"Ah, perfect timing." He stood getting ready to leave. "Erin you coming?"

"No, I'm getting pretty tired. I think I'll stay here."

"I wont be long." He said to Sha're, already walking away.

But Sha're was having none of it. She reached out and spun him around pulling him in for a deep kiss.

When she was done she laughed at Dani's expression. He just stood there with his eyes still closed , "Um...um" He sputtered. Hoots filled the chamber.

Only she could break through his go-get-em archeologist mode and make him forget what he was leaving for in the first place. "Goodbye my Dan-yell."

Daniel finally opened his eyes, "Bye." He brushed his hand across her cheek before leading some of the team out of the pyramid.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"You goota give Daniel credit," Feretti said eying Sha're as she and I walked by, " she is one beautiful woman."

I halted mid-step as Sha're continued on, "Ow come on Feretti," I reached from behind him pushing his ball cap over his eyes, "That's my brother and sister in law you're talking about."

"Sorry Kid." He grinned righting his cap.

I went and sat beside Skaara on a piece of rock. Around us on the ground were some of our younger friends. Yawning, I sleepy laid my head on his shoulder.

" _Are you tired?_ " He asked switching to Abydonian.

" _Nope._ " I answered yawning again.

" _Goodnight brother_." Sha're was on her way to her and Dani's tent.

" _No kiss?_ " He joked making a smoochy face at her.

She pushed his face away giggling, " _Oh behave._ "

" _I am behaving._ " He looked to me for support. " _Aren't I?_ "

" _Oh yeah, completely._ " I nodded.

Sha're shook her head at both of us smiling, " _Goodnight you two._ "

Without warning the gate started spinning. Each chevron activated within a matter of seconds and the gate whooshed alive.

Suddenly I was wide awake. "Take cover!" I shouted.

Everyone grabbed their weapons and hid behind pillars and inside tents. Taking my arm Skaara dragged me behind one of the pillars, pressing my back against the stone. The gate chamber grew deathly silent as we waited for whatever was about to come.

Though the blue water stepped several gray silver armored soldiers similar to Ra's, only these carried a snake-like helmet. The last to come through was also in a snake get up, but where the others were silver and bore weapons, this one was gold and unarmed.

One of the soldiers saw one of the younger boys peeking out from behind his cover and raised his staff. Fire blasted out knocking the boy backwards. The blast came close to our hiding place and Skaara and I turned our heads away.

Screams of horror and smoke filled the room. One shot after another blew into the walls, the ceiling, and floor.

"Open fire!" Feretti yelled over the chaos.

Didn't need to tell me twice. Aiming my gun at the closest hostile I fired. Unlike Ra's guards our bullets penetrated their armor, only they didn't seriously hurt them and the just got back up. We were losing, bad.

" _Sha're run!_ " Skaara shouted to her while shooting.

She took off from her tent and ran towards the entrance of the pyramid. She had almost made it until on of the soldiers grabbed her around her waist and hoisted her up.

" _No, no get off me!_ " Sha're struggled in his grasp.

" _Sha're no!_ " Skaara quickly turned to me, " _Stay here, stay quite!_ "

He barreled towards them raising his now empty weapon. But before he could reach Sha're another solider caught him around the throat.

It's mask clicked open revealing a dark skinned man with a gold emblem on his forehead. "This is not your weapon, where did you get it?" He held up Skaara's rifle.

Skaara spit in his face. The man scrunched his nose in disgust. Hefting Skaara with one arm he held him before the gold covered snake head.

His mask opened and immediately the man's eyes beneath glowed. _Ra?_ He appraised Skaara like one would a prize cow. It made me sick to my stomach.

"Good choice Teal'c, a perfect specimen." The man's voice reverberated. He grinned raising his hand. On his hand was one of the torture brackets Daniel told me Ra had. A line of orange and red light streamed from the device to Skaara's forehead. He struggled till his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he fell back limp.

I couldn't stay quite any longer. "Skaara! Sha're!" I screamed catching the attention of all the hostiles. Rushing forward from my hiding spot I sprinted towards them. I didn't even get to raise the barrel of my weapon.

The last thing I saw before my world went black was the butt of a staff weapon on a collision course with my face.


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Hands were shaking me. Couldn't they just let me sleep?

Opening my eyes slowly I saw a dimly lit room full of blurry people. "Oh ow, I gotta stop getting hit in the head."

"Airen." A blurry person moved into my line of sight. Though I couldn't make out their features through the haze, I would recognize that voice anywhere. A soft hand brushed along my cheek.

"Skaara." I blinked my eyes and his face slowly cleared. " _You're okay! Thank the god's._ " I pulled him close and sat up.

His arms came around my shoulders to help me up, as did another pair.

" _Sha're?_ " I gasped and hugged her.

When I was upright I saw the whole of the room. It was a large dungeon with iron bars on all the widows and doors. The room was full of people in mismatched clothes and ethnicities. No one seemed to know each other. They were all probably taken from different planets.

" _Where are we?_ " I asked.

" _We don't know. We were brought here several hours ago and no one has come or gone since._ " Sha're answered.

A loud creaking called everyone's attention to the front of the dungeon. The two thickly barred gates swung open and several guards similar to the ones who attacked us come through with their staffs at the ready.

I only recognized one of them. The dark skinned man with the golden symbol seared to his forehead led the guards.

His eyes scanned the cowering crowd till they settled on Sha're sitting beside me. She looked over at Skaara and I, her eyes full of fear.

The man raised his hand and pointed at Sha're, "Her."

The guards strode forward shoving those unlucky enough to be in their way to the ground.

"Like hell!" I shouted kicking out the feet of the first guard who dared lay a hand on her. He dropped and I put him in a head lock. Skaara jumped into the fray, punching the face of another and knocking him down.

"Skaara! Airen!" Sha're ran tried to run to us, only to be stopped when two guards each grabbed one of her arms and dragged her right off the ground.

Quickly we were overwhelmed. The man I had attacked threw me off him and I landed hard on my back. Skaara was tossed next to me. Several activated staff weapons were pointed at our faces, ready to fire.

Their leader raised his closed fist, stopping them. He stepped up to where we laid looking down at us. "Your deaths can not help her."

The guards pulled a struggling Sha're towards the gate at the front of the room, "I'm not afraid of you!" She shouted bravely.

We were released by them as they followed their leader out. Skaara and I jumped up trying to chase after Sha're.

The rest of the prisoners held us back."Get off me! Get off!" I screamed. I shrugged off my outer robe where they had caught me and sprinted towards the rapidly closing gate. One of the largest men there dressed like a caveman tackled me to the ground.

Skaara had to be held back by several men. We were pinned to the ground until there was a resounding clink. The gate locked in place.

The men released Skaara first. He ran to the gate, pounding on it to no avail. He shook the bars once more before sinking to ground in defeat. Wrapping his arms around his knees Skaara dropped his head to his arms hopelessly.

Slowly I walked up the stone steps. Sitting beside him I put my arm around his shoulders and held him close. Skaara, who tried so hard to be strong and brave, buried his face in the crook of my neck, "Shhhh," I tried to sooth him, wetness fell on my neck, "We'll get her back, we'll get her back. We will."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Several hours had passed. Many new prisoners were chucked into the dungeon with the rest of us. Periodically one soldier or another came and took the most beautiful women away. I dreaded to think of their and Sha're's fates.

The rumble of terrified voices and cries drowned out any sort of intelligible conversations the rest of the prisoners might have been having.

Skaara and I huddled in the back of the chamber with a few of the younger prisoners, the youngest was a auburn haired girl barely over fourteen.

As the day went on it got colder and colder. Involuntarily I shivered and pulled my knees to my chest to keep warm. Skaara pulled his outer robe off and draped it over the both of us. After I struggled out of mine earlier it had disappeared among the chaos.

" _Thanks._ " I said leaning into his embrace.

" _You should try to sleep._ " he murmured against my hair.

" _So should you."_

" _I don't think I could,_ " He looked around at the dozens of fearful people milling about, " _not in this place._ "

The gate opened again and more prisoners were dumped in. It had become so common that we hardly glanced up when the gate clunked shut again.

"OH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!" A very familiar voice shouted out.

Skaara and I looked at each in surprise. " _Did you hear..._ " I started.

"O'Neill!" Skaara jumped up pulling me with him.

We had to squeeze through the crowd to get to where we had heard Jack. But when we got there there was no trace of him.

" _There!"_ Skaara said tugging on my arm. There, towering over most of the prisoners was the distinctive top of Jack's trademark ball cap.

We followed the hat. Pushing around we finally caught sight of him. He was going from person to person questioning them. He didn't look like he was getting anywhere. "Hi, Jack O'Neill. Howya doing? Anyone care to tell me what the hell is going on here?!"

"O'Neill!" Skaara cried out.

Jack spin around looking shocked to actually see us. 'Skaara, Erin. Thank God." He pulled us both close and patted the back of my head affectionately. "After everything today I didn't think I'd see you guys again."

When he released us I saw on his face a sadness I had not seen in a long time. I also noticed that he didn't ask where Sha're was.

"Jack what is it? What's wrong?" I asked but he said nothing. All he did was shake his head like he was in pain.

Skaara glanced at me then he looked at Jack, "Is it Sha're?"

Jack put both his hands on Skaara's shoulders and leaned down so they were looking eye to eye. "I'm so sorry Skaara. Sha're is, she's been... Like how Ra possessed a human...one of them took her."

"No, nonono" I could barley whisper.

"But we can still save her. Can't we O'Neill?" Skaara's eyes pleaded with Jack.

"We'll try Skaara." Jack pulled him in for another hug. "It's all I can promise, but I promise we'll try."

"Hey," Jack said like he was suddenly remembering something. "Skaara are you going to be okay." All Jack got was a mute reply. "Come on, there's some people who'll want to see you."

He lead us back towards the front of the chamber. "Well if there's a way out I haven't found it yet. But look what I did find." He called out jerking his thumb back at us.

"Daniel!" I shouted when I saw him sprawled on the ground with Carter trying to help him up. I rushed to him. But when he tried to put his arms around me he nearly fell to the ground. "Whoa!"

Skaara appeared on Dani's other side supporting his weight. "Dan-yell are you okay?"

"I think so." he grunted clutching his head. He promptly slid out of Skaara's grasp and fell to the floor.

Jack rushed to catch him, "Easy there big guy. Welcome back to the land of the living."

As Jack straightened himself from crouching next to Daniel an armored hand shot out of nowhere and grabbed his wrist. One of the serpent guards with glowing ruby eyes held Jack in an unbreakable grasp.

"Ow jesh, strong grip." Jack patted the hand holding him with his free hand.

"What is this?" The guard pulled Jacks arms closer to what I could only guess was the viewing port on the otherwise blank part of the mask.

"It a watch!" Jack stated like it was the most common thing in the world. If you didn't know Jack you wound not have been able to see how he was using sarcasm to cover up how truly scared he really felt.

The guard's mask clinked open. It was the dark skinned man again. "This is not Goa'uld technology." He raised his gaze to the rest of us seemingly burning us on the spot with its intensity. "Where are you from?"

Again Jack answered with his trademark sarcasm. "Earth. Chicago if you want to get specific..."

The man, who was clearly a leader of some sort, had had enough. He dug into Jack's arm more and lifted him off the ground so they were eye to eye. "You words mean nothing! Were are you from?"

"Ah, excuse me." Daniel timidly interrupted.

The alien soldier glared at him and lowered Jack back to the ground. Once free, Jack rubbed his wrists to get feeling in them back.

Daniel bent down so he was kneeling on the dirt floor. With two fingers he drew the point of origin for Earth. "We're from here."

The last time we had tried to communicate in this way we had nearly sent a whole city into a frenzy. I hoped for a little less of a reaction this time.

The Soldier's eyes widened in recognition at the symbol. Using the rounded end of his staff he covered the symbol with dirt. For just a moment his eye darted to the people around us like he wanted to make sure no one else had seen. Once satisfied no one had, he snapped his mask shut and plowed his way back to the gate.

"Okay... that was interesting." Daniel commented as he stared dumfounded at his retreating back.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Over the past hour or so I dozed with my head Daniel's shoulder with his left arm draped across my shoulders for warmth. Skaara's outer robe helped a bit but whoever owned this dungeon sure didn't care about keeping their prisoner's from going hypothermic. As much as I tried to stay awake the fatigue, and the fact that I hadn't slept since I woke up here, finally got to me.

It wasn't a deep sleep. The heavy aura hanging around this place put off would never allow it. I could still sort of hear what was going on around me. A while ago Jack had taken off with Skaara to scout out a possible way to escape.

Daniel and Carter talked softly next to me. Much of what they said was lost to the ever present murmur of voices, but I did catch a few words like "Ra", "Apophis", and "serpent".

Then without warning all talking in the chamber ceased.

"Erin something's happening." Daniel whispered in my ear. Urgently he shook my shoulder to wake me. I blinked my bleary eyes.

The gates swung open and dozens of the serpent masked guards poured in. The Soldier from before was at the lead. "Kree ho mel Goa'uld!" Holding his arms wide men and women in extravagant and gaudy clothes came through the gates. They appraised the cowering prisoners like were cattle to be bought.

Jack and Skaara wove around the crowd to get back to us. once he was by my side I took Skaara's arm.

"Stay close to me," Skaara whispered in my ear.

"What did they say?" Jack asked.

Skaara's face showed his disgust as he translated, "He said they are going to choose."

"Choose what?" Carter asked in a hushed voice.

"Who will be the children of the gods." Skaara spit out between clenched teeth.

A liter covered in thick sheets of silk and fine cloths was the last to be carried in by six men. It was set down just inside the dungeon so it blocked the open gates.

A gold plated hand emerged first followed by the rest of the man I recognized from when we were captured on Abydos.

He reached his hand into the liter to aid a veiled woman out. "Behold!" his reverberating voice echoed around the walls. "Your Queen!" Gently he lift the veil from the woman to reveal, Sha're!

"Sha're." Daniel surged forward heedless of any danger. "Jack help me!"

Jack and Skaara each had to hang onto one of his arms to keep him from racing to Sha're's side. "Don't don't" Jack said.

I had held some hope for Sha're, regardless of what Jack had said, until Sha're turned her eyes towards us. It might have been Sha're's body, but it wasn't Sha're behind those eyes. There was no recognition from her. None of the warm love she used to radiate, only a cold disgust as she sneered at the wailing people.

"Kneel before your masters!" the Soldier shouted. His men plowed into the crowd forcing everyone to their knees.

Skaara silently took my hand as he stared defiantly at the woman who used to be his sister an the man who had taken her.

When the men reached us they shoved Carter, Jack, and Daniel to the ground. When we refused to kneel Jack looked at us and slightly shook his head in defeat, "Skaara, Erin."

I nodded to show I understood and we slowly joined them on the dirt ground.

Once all were keeling to them the "gods" milled about the dungeon. Some stopped to inspect prisoners closely. Most prisoners were thrown back, but a few were carted out of the dungeon, screaming the whole way.

The Soldier had come to stand close to where we were kneeling. As he watched the scene unfold I expected him to be detached, or even show some satisfaction at the people's suffering. Instead he grew more and more disgusted with each person taken. For a moment, just a moment he glanced up at Apophis in utter hatred. It was only a moment, but it was enough. To my right Jack had also been observing him. Jack's eyes quickly met mine to confirm we had both seen the same thing.

A high pitched squeal pierced my ears from across the chambers. My eyes sought to the source till, with what felt like a punch to my chest, I saw the young girl I noticed earlier being inspected. _Please not her, not her._

With a swift nod the couple inspecting her decided, "This one." And the small girl was dragged away just like the others.

"This one has passion." A reverberating voice nearby said.

My breath caught in my lungs and I swung my head around. Daniel had grabbed a male 'god'. Two staff weapons pointed at Daniel. He didn't notice.

"How much would I remember if you choose me?" Daniel's voice broke and tears streamed down his face. His pleading eyes were locked on Sha're, begging her to show anything of her former self.

"Daniel what are you doing?" Jack warned.

Daniel just continued, "Something of the host must survive."

Small movement out of the corner of my eye drew my gaze to the Soldier. He was barley shaking his head no. _Oh God._

"We choose..." The voice hesitated, "this one."

I was still looking at alien Soldier when two men grabbed my arms and hauled me up. A cold sweat broke out across my skin when I realized they had chosen me. They held me almost a foot of the ground so the man and woman before me could see me better.

I couldn't control my shaking and stuttering breaths.

"No!" Daniel and Skaara both roared. They clawed at the guards trying reach me, only to be beaten back by staff weapons.

"Very beautiful." The man smiled as he pushed my dirty blond hair away from my face. I cringed away from his slimy fingers. His smile quickly faded and he glared at a spot above my left eye where I knew a jagged red scar ran across my brow and down my cheek.

He growled and with a whisk of his hand I was tossed to the ground.

Skaara immediately scooped me up into his arms. His movement caught the eye of the man who had just dismissed me.

He grinned evily and pointed at Skaara, "Him."

"NO!" This couldn't be happening. I twisted my hand into Skaara's shirt as an anchor to keep him by my side.

The guards wrenched through my grasp like I was made of paper and landed a heavy hit to my gut. The sudden pain dropped me, I pressed a hand to my stomach where no doubt an ugly bruise was already forming.

"Airen! Dan-yell, O'Neill!" Skaara screamed while kicking at his captors.

"Skaara!" I ran after him but two staffs descended in a "X" blocking my path. Jack came up behind me and caught my flailing arms, keeping them pined at my side to stop me from doing something stupid. With every step Skaara was taken away, my heart was ripped in to smaller and smaller shreds. I looked at the man who had chosen Skaara. He seemed to enjoy my pain. "Take me in his place, please!"

My begging fell on deaf ears. Skaara's screams continued to get fainter and fainter until they disappeared all together.

However, I caught the attention of Apophis. I locked gazes with him. "I'm going to kill you, in the most painful way possible." I spat at him. My voice wavered with anger. I had never felt such hate for anyone before, but if it was the last thing I did I would make him pay.

He merely sneered down at me. "Destroy the rest!" he commanded. Then he entered his liter with Sha're without a glance back.

Screaming broke out as the guards assembled in a line with their staffs pinning us between them and a solid rock wall. The prisoners that were left crowed at the back of the chamber, clawing at the walls for another moment of life.

Jack handed me off to Carter who pulled me and a shell-shocked Daniel to the back with the rest.

The Alien Soldier strode to the center of the chamber where the rest of his troops stood at the ready.

"I can save these people!" Jack shouted at the Soldier and he whirled to aim his staff at Jack. "Help me! Help me."

He glared at jack and for a moment I thought for sure he would fire on Jack. "Many have said that!" Suddenly he pivoted and shot one of his own men. After shooting down another he tossed his staff to Jack. "But you are the first I believed could do it!"

The guard's ranks were diminishing quickly. Blasts of red fire flew around the chamber, some hitting unlucky bystanders.

After being hit in the chest, one of the guards stumbled towards where Carter, Daniel, and I have taken cover. With a thud he fell to the ground and his staff rolled till it hit my foot.

Snatching it up I took aim and fired at the guards Jack and the Soldier had missed. One had been about to take out Jack from the side when a blast from my staff collided with him.

"Erin what do you think you are doing?!" Daniel shouted over the roar of the battle.

"What's it looked like I'm doing?!" I yelled back while taking out another guard.

The rapid blasts ceased and Jack waved his hand at the crowd, "Hey! Get out of the way!" And they scrambled away from the back wall.

Seeing that he intended to blow a hole in the wall I aimed my weapon on the same place and fired. After several hits a hole big enough for three or so to go through at a time was formed.

"Come on let's go!" He shouted at the crowd and they poured out of the whole into a forested area.

As Daniel and I were about to go through Jack caught us, "You are going to be okay?"

Daniel just stared at Jack blankly before flowing with the rest out of the hole.

Jack then turned to me, "No, I'm not okay." I glanced at Daniel's retreating back and sighed. "We're not okay." I used my staff as a crutch to help me over the rubble. Back in the chamber the Soldier was chucking off some of his armor. "What about him, Jack?" I jerked my chin in his direction.

"Hey come on!" Jack shouted at him and waving for him to follow.

The Soldier raised his arms, gesturing at the fallen guards and destruction around him, "I have no where to go."

Jack called to him again and waved his hand at the dozens of freed people escaping into the woods. "For this you can stay at my place."

He gripped his staff tightly and headed out of the hole, hesitating when he came to us.

"What's your name?" Jack asked.

"Teal'c," the Soldier responded.

We started walking again. The escaped prisoners were getting dangerously far into the forest. I had the feeling that if we lost sight of the group we'd never be able to find them again.

"Where will they take Skaara, the boy?" Jack asked while picking up the pace to a slow run.

The newly dubbed Teal'c glanced around the forest for threats, eyes darting side to side. "Through the Stargate. After they have selected hosts for their children they will return home."

Coming around a corner we saw Carter and Daniel waiting for us with a significantly smaller group of survivors than I remembered.

Jack took out his watch and checked it quick, "We got less than an hour before Hammond seals the gate. How we doing?"

"We lost a few when we got deeper into the woods." Carter reported.

"What's going to happened to them?" I asked looking to Teal'c who was the most likely to know the answer.

"They will be hunted down and killed." He said gruffly. "Any who do not serve the gods are their enemy."

"So that makes you..." Jack tossed his hand up at him.

"I am a Jaffa, bred to serve so that they may live."

Daniel looked at Teal'c numbly. "I don't understand." His need to understand and learn seemed to overriding the shocked part of his brain so he could cope.

Teal'c had been walking in front of me, so when he ceased walking without warning I plowed into his back. His arm shot out and grabbed Skaara's outer robe that I still had on and pulled me up so I was once again vertical with the earth. After he was certain I would not fall he backed away.

Teal'c reached his hand toward a slit in his armor that formed an "x" over his abdomen. The he reached his hand into his stomach!

I resisted the urge to hurl when he pulled away a flap of tissue so we could see into a dark gaping hole in his gut, like a marsupial's pouch. Only instead of a cute baby kangaroo, a white slimy worm-like creature peeked it's head out.

Everyone who could see jumped away from Teal'c, a few even screamed.

The worm thingy squealed in displeasure before retreating.

Jack's hand flew to his mouth like he was gonna be sick. "What the hell is that?!"

Teal'c replaced the cloths and armor covering the slits in his stomach. "An infant Goa'uld, the larva form of the gods. I have carried one since I was a child, as all Jaffa have."

"Get it out of there!" Jack ordered.

"In exchange for carrying an infant Goa'uld to maturity, a Jaffa receives perfect health and long life. If I were to remove it, I would eventually die."

"If I were you," Jack walked by Teal'c patting him on the shoulder. "I'd take my chances."

In the distance the top of the Stargate finally came into sight. A familiar humming radiated through the air.

"Take cover!" I shouted as I dove under a bush with Jack and Teal'c.

A ship hovered overhead and came to a stop above the Stargate. The bottom of the ship opened and a set of rings flew down and stacked atop each other. A beam of light traveled from the ship to the waiting rings materializing the group of "gods" and their chosen, who were strangely not fighting their captors. A second group was beamed down and with them was Skaara.

"Skaara." I whispered watching him. He stood by the man who had chosen him calmly and obediently. The Skaara I knew would never have given up or allowed himself to fall under another false god's control, he would have fought to his last breath. "Jack." Jack put down the binocular he'd been looking through and turned his head toward me. His concerned expression matched my own. "Jack, something's wrong."

Teal'c gently but firmly placed a hand on my shoulder and looked me with pity in his eyes. "The boy you knew is no longer who he was."

"I don't wanna hear that." Jack said in a clipped tone. "She doesn't want to hear that."

The ship beamed down a final group. Apophis and Sha're stood in the center surrounded by at least a dozen of his guards. The guards expanded into a larger circle surrounding all the "gods" while Apophis headed to the dialing device and started to input an address.

More humming came from overhead as gliders swung down low over our position.

"Get down!" Jack shouted at the refugees.

A group had just enough time to dive out of the way as a blast from one of the gliders exploded the ground where they had just been standing.

"Colonel we've been made." Carter was shielding a couple of young children from flying debris. "We're sitting ducks here! We..." The rest of her sentence was drowned out by a torrent of weapons fire as the gliders took another pass at us.

It was like a flashback to all those years ago on Abydos when we defeated Ra. Blast after blast rocked the ground with no end in sight. The screaming people were scattering in all directions, which made them easy targets.

The humming was closer than ever and looking up I was staring down the muzzle of a glider. I wouldn't even have time to raise my staff to fire back.

Suddenly the left wing of the glider burst in to flames. With one wing gone gravity did the rest by dragging the glider to the ground where it erupted, exploding shards of metal in ever direction.

Up on a hill stood Kawalsky holding a smoking rocket launcher surrounded by several marines outfitted with machine guns.

Jack stood up and cupped his hands around his mouth the amplify his voice. "Come on people, up the hill. Run!"

Teal'c held out his hand to help me up. "Thanks." I said. He grabbed my forearm and hauled me up, half-helping half-dragged me up the hill.

When we reached the top Kawalsky smiled, happy to see me. He eyed Teal'c suspiciously but said nothing.

"Erin, it's good to see you Kid." Hefting the launcher in one arm Kawalsky clapped me on the back.

"Nice shot." I complemented him.

Jack came up beside us huffing from running up the hill. "How many are there?" he tilted his head in the direction of the gate.

"About a dozen surrounding the Stargate. We don't have much time before they lock us out."

Kawalsky replied.

If we didn't make it back to Earth in the next ten minutes we'd be stranded here with no way home.

We climbed up the side of another hill. Coming over the top I saw the gate with a dozen of so Jaffa surrounding it. In the circle of stone steps around the gate stood Skaara with the couple who'd taken him about to go through.

"Stop!" Jack roared at them. He slid down the steep incline and raced toward the gate.

"Colonel, sir!" Kawalsky shouted after him. I moved to follow Jack but Kawalsky tried to grab my arm, and missed. "Erin get back here!"

But I was already sliding after Jack, sand and gravel kicking up in my wake.

All the commotion caught Skaara's attention and he stepped away from the gate, waiting for us at the edge of the platform. He smiled as we approached.

 _That smile._ Skaara had never looked so, cruel. I stopped in my tracks while Jack kept on running past me, though I didn't really notice. My eyes were fixed on Skaara. Just like with Sha're, there was nothing in his eyes. "Skaara." I breathed out his name, but I could not find my beloved anywhere in the man that stood before us.

Skaara, It, raised his hand and a pulsating red glow came from a bracelet wrapped around his palm.

I tried to warn Jack as I ran to him, "Jack wait!" I shouted, to late.

Skaara's eyes glowed and a pulse flew through the air and plowed into Jack. He went flying backwards colliding with me and knocking all the air out of both our lungs We connected with the ground and to add insult to injury, Jack's weight crushed me before he could roll of.

I laid prone of the ground, my joints protesting. Turning my head to the side I was just able to see Skaara glance back once as he stepped through the event horizon. The gate shut off. He was gone.

"Jack! Erin!" Daniel shouted as he and the rest of the refuges caught up with us. "Did you see the symbols?"

I rolled unto my stomach and stared at the gate, hoping against hope that it would turn back on and Skaara and Sha're would come back through it, like nothing had ever happened and it was all just a bad dream. _Please let this be a dream._

"Did you see them?" Daniel repeated.

Jack looked over at him and shook his head soundlessly.

"We got hostiles approaching! I repeat we've got hostiles approaching." An unfamiliar voice called over the radio. Back at the hill a line of marines were positioned on the ground with their weapons aimed at the forest.

Kawalsky waved all the refuges over, "Okay people we're going on a little field trip. Daniel," he looked at me sympathetically,"Erin get to work on that Stargate, we got company. Captain Casey and I will be the last ones out."

"Negative." Jack stood. "That's my job. Captain Carter help Daniel and Erin. Once you send the signal through tell them we're bringing company!"

"Yes sir." Carter quickly saluted him.

The three of us sprinted toward the gate. When we reached the dialing device Daniel dug a small notebook out of his vest. My eyes roved over the device, some of the symbols looked familiar as the address for Earth. I leaned against my staff weapon for support.

"Dr. Jackson!" Carter urged.

Daniel frantically flipped through his notes, "I know I know, I have it."

Kawalsky's voice echoed over the radio, "Sir, we got hostiles coming out of the trees."

"Come on!" Carter anxiously began jumping in place.

Putting together the pieces of the puzzle and trying to drown out the sound of battle was not an easy task. Finally one of the symbols caught my eye, suddenly it made sense.

"Daniel." I shouted over the blasts and punched the first symbol in Earth's sequence.

"I see it too!" And Daniel began dialing the rest of the symbols. "Send the signal as soon as it open Captain."

Carter pulled pager-like device out of her sleeve and pressed in a code.

"Is it working?" Daniel glanced back and forth between the gate and the device on Carter's arm.

"I hope so. If not I'll be the first to know." and she ran up the steps and threw herself through the gate. Her voice came through the radio on Daniel's vest. "Send them through."

"Come on everyone!" I shouted to the refuges waving my arm forward.

The enemy soldiers were getting closer. I heft my staff weapon up and took aim laying down cover fire for the fleeing prisoners.

Many of them were injured and bleeding as they tumbled through the gate. More gliders arrived and began firing down at us. One swept down close to the ground and blew away a few of the stranglers. One last group was running up the steps when a blast sent them flying. A small girl fell out of her mother's arms and landed in the dirt next the platform, all the while her mother screamed her name.

"Daniel, get her through the gate." I ordered him. He put the mother's arm around his shoulders and hauled her up the steps.

Running around the side of the gate platform, shooting down a soldier as I went I found the girl with a deep gash on her leg. "I got you." I said dropping the staff as I picked her up and she wrapped her arms around my neck.

Another pass of the gliders brought more rounds of earth shattering fire. The ground shook while I stumbled up the steps with the girl in my arms. Daniel was waiting just this side of the gate, apparently already having sent the rest through.

I approached and he took the girl from me. "That's it. Let's go!" He said grabbing my arm and throwing us through.

Just as I remembered there was a cold rush, then we came out the other side. A bald man in a military uniform and Carter were waiting for us when we stepped through the gate back on Earth.

The mother of the girl raced up the ramp and clutched her daughter to her chest. She mouthed, "thank you" before joining the rest of the refuges who had crowed towards the back of the gate room.

"They behind you?" Carter asked.

I glanced back at the still water of the gate. "I hope so."

The water rippled and the huge man dressed like a caveman followed by Teal'c came through. Suddenly all the guns in the room were trained on the two ready to pump them full of bullets.

"Hold your fire!" Daniel, Carter and I yelled simultaneously.

The bald man waved his hand indicating for everyone to lower their weapons.

Finally Jack fell through carrying a dazed Kawalsky. "Now! Lock it up! Lock it up!"

Several sharp plates of steel swirled out from the inner ring of the gate and clinked together forming a single metal shield over the event horizon. I jumped in surprised at the blades locked into place. Dull thuds came from what could only be something hitting the barrier. With a zip the gate shut off.

"Wormhole disengaged." A voice called over an intercom.

"Colonel O'Neill, care to explain?" The bald man walked up the ramp, careful to stay out of the way of med teams working on the injured.

Jack patted Kawalsky on the back in concern. Only after Kawalsky nodded, indicating he was fine, did Jack answer the man's question. "We can use the Stargate to send these people home."

The man glared over Jack's shoulder at Teal'c. "What is _he_ doing here?" He said like he recognized Teal'c.

Jack walked up to Teal'c and placed his hand on his arm and stated proudly, "General Hammond this is Teal'c. He helped us."

But the General would not be swayed, "You know what he is?"

"Yes sir I do. He is the man who saved all our lives." Then Jack shocked everyone, Teal'c most of all. "And if you follow my recommendation he'll join SG-1."

The General stared at him dumbfounded for a moment before gathering his wits. "That decision may not be up to you."

Further up on the ramp Kawalsky caught my attention when he nearly tumbled to the ground clutching his head. I went to his side and wrapped my hands around his arm helping him up. "Kawalsky, you alright?"

He waved me off. "Yeah Kid, I'm good."

The General seemed like he was about to say something, then thought better of it. He just sighed wearily. "Colonel O'Neill, Kawalsky. This is sure to be an interesting debriefing, we'll start at oh-seven thirty hundred."

"Yes sir." Chorused Jack, Kawalsky and Carter.

After all the med teams and the refuges had been filled out the gate room, our group still stood on the ramp.

Daniel gazed longingly at the up at the Stargate, "She's still out there, somewhere."

Something clinked in Skaara's robe that I still had on. Reaching into a pocket I pulled out his zippo lighter. The sight of it brought tears to my eyes and I clutched it to my chest. Coming up beside Daniel I took his hand in my free one and pulled him into a hug. "So is Skaara." I said resting my jaw on his shoulder.

"What are we going to do?" Daniel's voice wavered and he buried his face in my hair.

A hand came down on my arm causing Daniel and I to part. Jack met both of our eyes and gave us a small smile. "We find them."


	8. The Enemy Within

Chapter Eight

The Enemy Within

 _Thud. Thud. Thud._ The knocks on my door were getting more insistent by the minute. "Erin?" Jack's voice called tentatively from the other side of the thick metal door of my barrack.

I pulled Skaara's robe closer to where I was curled up on the uncomfortable bed that sat in the center of the concrete walled room. The General hadn't know what do do with Daniel and me after the chaos of the last mission had settled down. We didn't have anywhere to go so we'd been set up in temporary rooms on base. For lack of a better word, it felt as cold as a prison cell.

 _Thud._ "Erin?" Jack knocked again.

Sighing I sat up. "It's open."

Jack opened the door and stuck his head in. "How are you?"

"Just dandy, you?" I snapped.

Jack raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Oh, I'm sorry." I groaned running my hand through my uncombed hair. Standing I stumbled to the set of drawers that was the only other fixture in the room and pulled out the top drawer and stuffed Skaara's rode inside. Other than that and a set of military fatigues it was empty. "I'm not mad at you. I just haven't slept since, I don't remember."

"Are those?" Jack gestured to the robes in closed the drawer.

I took a deep breath. "Yeah. It's funny, a few days ago he was right next to me happy and free. Now that's all that I have left of him."

"We'll find him."

I unbuttoned my jacket and tossed it on the edge on my bed. "I wish I could believe that Jack."

Jack's eyes scanned the barren floor like he was thinking really hard about something. His head popped up suddenly and he looked at me excitedly. "You know what, come with me."

"Where are we going?"

"The control room." Jack glanced at his watch. "There's a mission briefing in about ten minutes, and we don't want to be late, now do we?" He grinned at mischievously.

Shaking my head at him I plopped down on the bed and took Skaara's lighter out of my pocket. Recently I had taken to absently turning it over and over in my hands. "Why would I go there? I haven't been assigned anywhere yet. In fact, I don't think the General even wants me here. "

Jack strode the rest of the way into my room and sat down next to me. "Well I'm here to officially inform you that I've submitted my request that you be allowed to join SG-1. That is, if you want to."

I looked him the eyes to see if he was kidding, and seeing he wasn't I nodded. "I do. I need to get back out there. I have to do something." If I stayed in this room any longer I just might go crazy.

Jack patted my knee and jumped of the bed. "Then let's get going." Then Jack stopped short and narrowed his eyes. He was looking at my hands and I noticed that I was still fiddling with the zippo. "Skaara's lighter?"

"Oh, yeah, it was in his robe when he gave it to me." I glanced down at the small dented piece of metal then back at Jack. "If you want it back..."

Jack cut me off. "No no, you hang onto it. Skaara's gonna need it back _when_ we find him. And you know me, I have trouble finding my shoes sometimes, even when their on my feet." I appreciated Jack's optimism, even it it was a little forced.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

We reached the control room for the pre-mission briefing, abet ten minutes late due to a little side trip to the commissary. Jack had found out that I hadn't eaten in about a day and a half and had tried to tempt me with a chocolate chip cookie. I had reluctantly swallowed it to please him, but for all the chief's effort and Jack's encouragement, everything I put in my mouth tasted like sawdust. Once satisfied that I wasn't going to drop dead from hunger, Jack had looked at his watch. Then with a start he had grabbed my arm and we were raced to the meeting.

Our entrance interrupted the General mid-sentence which earned Jack a withering glare, while Kawalsky just grinned. If the General was surprised by my presence he didn't show it as he went right back to the briefing.

Not sure if this was a good thing or not I sought out the only place I felt remotely safe in this foreign setting, which was right next to Daniel. He smiled at me reassuringly as I came to stand next to him. Under his eyes were dark, deep circles that showed that he had slept about as much as me the last few days and he cradled a coffee cup like it was his one salvation. It pained me that he had to go through this, but at least we had each other.

The General prattled on in the background, most of it was technical talk that went way over my head. Only when he got to the upcoming missions did anything begin to coalesce into something that resembled English. "Gentlemen, these planets designated P3-575 and P3A-577," He used a pointer to indicate two dots on a translucent starmap, "Have been submitted by Captain Carter's team as possible destinations for your next missions." The General turned from the map and addressed Jack and Kawalsky. "SG units one and two will operate currently."

Jack tapped Kawalsky on the shoulder, "You know, I'm kind of partial to P3-575 if you don't mind taking P3A-577."

Kawalsky shook his head and placed his hand on Jack's shoulder to cut him off, "No, I'll take 577."

Jack laughed a little and put his hands up in mock surrender. "I'm not married to it."

By this point the General was staring at them open mouthed. He turned to Carter for help and she just shrugged. Then he whirled to face Daniel and I. I didn't know what he wanted or expected us to do so I did the only thing I could, I just shrugged. The General sighed in frustration.

Jack and Kawalsky seemed completely oblivious all this.

"I want to be fair about it. How about we flip for it?" Jack was already reaching into his pocket for a coin.

The General had had enough and stepped between to two officers, breaking them up. "How about you go where I tell you? As for as I'm concerned..." That's as far as he got before the base was flooded with flashing emergency lights and alarms.

"Alert! Inbound traveler! Repeat! Inbound traveler!" The now familiar voice and phrase echoed over the loudspeakers.

"Damn those Goa'ulds are persistent." Kawalsky commented as the iris slid into place around the Stargate. Soldiers ran up the ramp with their machine guns at the ready and all the rail guns were pointed at the gate.

"I think we might have insulted a god or two on our way out." I murmured. Jack looked at me out of the corner of his eye, smirking.

The General leaned into the com and spoke so his voice superseded the alarms. "Alert! All defense teams standby." He covered the mic with his hand and faced the lieutenant at the computer. "Set the base auto destruct countdown at three minutes."

The gate stopped spinning and there was immediately several loud collisions in the iris. Once the iris bowed out like it was about to blow inwards, but luckily it stayed in place.

Kawalsky signed and rubbed the back of his neck grimacing in pain. "We're not going anywhere as long as the Goa'ulds keep up these attacks."

"Well they can't keep this up forever." I said. Off Jack and Carter's unsure expressions. "Can they?"

The loudest thud yet rang out from the gate and the iris came apart for a moment so the blue light of the event horizon was visible before it snapped back into place.

"Whoa!" Jack flinched back.

Carter leaned over a computer monitoring the gate's output."Well, once they realize our gate's impenetrable, they should just give up."

"So this iris is going to hold, right?" Daniel came up beside Carter and eyed the gate warily.

She nodded, "Pure titanium. Less than three micrometers from the event horizon. It wont even allow matter to fully integrate."

"So it it going to hold _right_?" I repeated Daniel's question leaning next to him.

"If it doesn't, the fail safe device will detonate, this whole mountain will vaporize, and there'll be nothing to worry about." She said just a bit to cheerily.  
My eyes went wide, "Oh, well that's a, a relief."

The gate finally shut down. The General spoke into the com. "Radiation teams move in."

"Team reports all clear sir." The lieutenant reported.

"Alright, stand down and abort the countdown." The General entered his code into the computer.

I wont lie that it was nice not to see those big red letters ticking off the seconds until we were all vaporized.

From behind me came a pained groan. Kawalsky was massaging his neck.

Jack noticed to "Kawalsky, what's the matter?"

He looked up at Jack and waved him off. "Just a headache. Took a fistful of aspirin but nothing seems to help."

"Go down to the infirmary and get yourself checked out." Jack ordered.

"Yes sir I think I'll do that." he turned to the General and saluted him. "Sir, with you permission."

The General returned the salute. "By all means major. I need you to lead you team to P3-575."

Kawalsky lowered his hand and as he left he brushed past Jack. They both bore identical smirks that their ploy had worked.

As everyone else filed out of the room Jack remained behind. I walked up to him and nudged his arm playfully. "I see what you did there."

He just looked at me innocently. "I have no idea what your talking about." He tilted his head up at the stairs that the General had retreated too moments before. "Hammond wants to see us."

Trudging up the stairs and waiting outside Hammond's office made me feel like I was back in grade school and the principal had just asked to see me in private.

"Should I knock, or should you?" I asked Jack, unsure how things were supposed to go in a military base.

The General must have heard us for the next thing we heard was his commanding voice that allowed no questions, "Come!"

Jack opened the door and let me go in first. Either he had suddenly become polite overnight or, he was throwing me to the wolfs first.

The General sat behind his desk looking up at with a face devoid of emotion. "Ah Colonel, Miss Clark, please have a seat." He gestured to two chairs arranged in front of his desk. I sat in one but Jack remained standing.

A shield around the General seemed to slip a bit as he rested his head in his palms. "I understand how Kawalsky feels, this job gives me a headache to."

Jack picked up his bad mood and went straight to the point. "What's the bad news General?"

Hammond jerked back in surprise. "Not much for small talk are you Colonel?"

If Jack hadn't been talking to a General I knew he would have been rolling his eyes. "How was your weekend? Get any fishing in?" He said without humor.

I pretended to cough and covered my mouth to hide my smile. Jack had become really candid the last two years.

Hammond's eye twitched, but other than that, he didn't respond to Jack's question. "First off. Miss Clark will be allowed to join SG-1. Though you should know that she had her objectors to even her being allowed on the base, given her age and lack of a doctorate."

"You aren't a doctor?" Jack asked furrowing his brows down at me.

"No." I shook my head. He scoffed so I continued, "Have you ever heard anyone call me Dr."

"I just assumed since you seem to wear the same set of smarty pants as Daniel." Jack cocked his head to the side, studying me.

I sighed, "I do have a masters in classics and a bachelors in linguistics. But right before Daniel and I were hired by Catherine I'd been kicked out of my doctorate program so I never got to finish."

"Why'd you get kicked out?" Jack asked wagging his brows at me, teasing.

"Hey. Not for anything fun like you're thinking I really quite boring in school. " I explained, "Back then Daniel and I had more than a few theories that were considered crazy. a little to crazy for my professors."

"Not so crazy now eh." Jack grinned.

"However," Hammond broke in, "It is her lack of a doctorate that had many of the higher-ups in Government to question her further involvement in this program."

"Oh come on General," Jack protested, "She and Daniel were able to figure out the Stargate in two weeks. In three years the Governments pool of fancy doctor's couldn't do that. And she has more off-world experience than anyone besides Daniel and I."

"It would seem there were enough in Washington who agreed with you." Hammond held up a placating hand, "And since she was instrumental in your defeat of Ra and your most recent mission she has convinced most that she could be a capable member of you team."

Wow. I was actually going to be allowed to join Jack's team.

"That was the good news," Jack narrowed his eyes at the General. "so what's the bad news, sir?"

"I have to reject your request to have Teal'c join SG-1. Wasn't my choice. A Colonel Kennedy," The General spat his name like it left a foul taste in his mouth. "is en-route from the Pentagon right now. He'll be asking your friend some, some questions." The way he said it made me think that no actual questions were going to be involved.

"They want to experiment on him." I said through gritted teeth.

I jumped to a conclusion, which Hammond confirmed with a nod of his head. "Maybe you haven't noticed but he is the first living alien we've ever come across. Don't you think that qualifies you friend as a subject of scientific interest?"

"No." I responded flatly at the same time Jack scoffed, "A _subject_?!"

"He is what he is." Hammond stated plainly.

I was about to retort, but Jack beat me to it. With each word his voice rose in anger. "With all due respect, sir. I don't think he saved our lives or the lives of my team to become a damn guinea pig for U.S military intelligence." By this point he was practically shouting.

"Back up Colonel." Hammond snapped with enough authority to make Jack shut his mouth on whatever he was about to say. "This man switched side once, are you 100% positive he wont do it again?"

Jack looked him dead in the eyes. "Yes sir."

"Well you are alone in that assertion. As long as Teal'c is present on this base I promise that he will be treated with the utmost respect and dignity. Beyond that I can't promise a thing." He abruptly stood from his chair, "Dismissed."

I guess that was the end of that meeting.

We exited the General's office. Jack figured I'd be following him because he gave a quizzical look as I started back toward the briefing room. "Where you headed?" he asked.

"The General has Daniel, Carter and I briefing the other SG teams on the basic operation of the Stargate. Well, actually the General has Daniel and Carter doing that, but they asked me to assist."

"Okay." Jack patted my shoulder. "Just get some rest at some point to day. You can stay awake forever."

"I can try." I started down the steps waving behind me. "See you later Jack."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The briefing room was now full of twenty-year-old something marines and air force officers. They each held a detailed report Carter and I compiled on the Stargate and all the planets we've visited so far. All the planets being two.

A few looked up as I tried, unsuccessfully, to sneak into the meeting. Shuffling next to Daniel I made my face as apologetic as I could. "Sorry."

"We were just getting started." He whispered to me. Then facing the men he addressed them while pointed to a diagram set up on the board full of chitchats and graphs. "So this device," He gestured to drawings and photographs of the dial home device. Should be on every planet we visit. We," Daniel waved his pen between the two of us. "studied the one on Abydos for months. It's sort of like a...a...a" He searched for the right word.

"Telephone." Carter and I suggested at the same time. We looked at each other and had to stifle a laugh.

Daniel smiled at us. "I like that. Telephone. In order to get back home all you have to do is..." He hesitated and strode slowly to the glass widows of the briefing room overlooking the Gate room. "dial Earth. Which is uh... Which is what were here to talk about so...What is Major Kawalsky doing in the Gate Room?"

"What?" I asked coming to stand beside him. And there he was. Kawalsky was standing with his back turned to us midway up on the ramp leading to the Stargate with his arms outstretched.

Carter looked down at him then glanced at us with concern written all over her face. "page Colonel O'Neill and General Hammond to the Gate room now!" She told one of the lieutenants.

"Yes Ma'am."

We filed out of the briefing room and down the stairs to the Gate room. As Daniel, Carter and I came through the blast door on one side Jack and Hammond walked in from the other side.

Kawalsky was still standing on the ramp, seeming oblivious to everyone else in the room.

"Charlie?" Jack called him by his first name.

He jerked like he was just waking up and swiveled his head around in confusion. Lowering his arms he face us. "Jack? Guys?" He glanced at out faces in fear. "What am I doing here?"

"Colonel O'Neill." Hammond addressed Jack while eying Kawalsky warily. "Will you take the major to the infirmary."

"Yes sir." Jack walked up the ramp and took Kawalsky by the arm. "Come on, lets get you checked out."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Half and hour later I was wondering aimlessly around the halls of the base. I swear, each corridor seemed just like the last and the one before that. Even if I had years I don't think I would ever be able to fine my way around.

Faintly I could hear running steps behind me but I didn't pay much attention. I was thinking hard about trying to not think hard about what had happened with Skaara and Sha're. It wasn't working. I kept replaying over and over the moments leading up to Skaara being taken and what I could have done differently.

So of course I wasn't watching were I was walking. And of course when a hand unexpectedly slammed down on my back, I shrieked.

"You must have been really think hard about something." Jack appeared in my periphery.

I frowned.

"I've been calling you name and chasing you through the halls for about two minutes." Jack explained.

"Oh geez I'm sorry. What did you want?"

"They are about to start questioning Teal'c. Way I figure its gonna become a proverbial trial unless we drop in."

"You mean crash the meeting?" I asked.

"More or less, you in?"

"Lead the way." I nodded. Jack waved for me to lead. "I mean literally lead the way, I'm lost."

"Ah." Jack cocked his head sideways, "Come on." and led me down the hall I had just came from.

He took a crazy amount of twists and turns that I didn't even bother to memorize. Somehow all that managed to get us back to briefing room.

As we came up the steps we heard the last of Teal'c's answer to what I assumed was a question about technology.

"Knowledge about Goa'uld magic is forbidden." Teal'c said calmly and without emotion.

"It's not magic Teal'c" Was my automatic response. I had heard that line so many times on Abydos when I tried to explain things that the response had almost become second nature. Unfortunately a whole room full of high ranking military personal now knew that they had eavesdroppers. I slapped my hand to my mouth, _great Erin, really great._

Jack quickly covered for me. "They just want you to think that." He saluted Hammond. "Permission to barge in General."

Hammond nodded for the two of us to join him and another, less friendly man at the table.

The man sneered as we took our seats. "Colonel O'Neill. I was hoping to meet you. Your mission report from Chulak made for the most engrossing analysis of my career." As then man looked from Jack to me I couldn't suppress a small shiver. "Ah Miss Clark." He grunted out my name and scowled down at me. "That fact that you are even present on this base goes against my recommendation. If I have my way, and I usually do, when I'm threw with you, you wont even be able to get a job dusting historical books in a library am I clear."

I gulped. So this was one of the objectors that Hammond had been talking about. He was a lot more, unpleasant than I expected.

Hammond's gaze snapped to the man, pinning him with a warning glare. "Colonel Kennedy, perhaps this is not the time."

"Of course sir." He put on the best, fake smile. "Please join us."

The way he could change his outward emotional appearance in the blink of an eye was disarming. I was not going to like this man. Nope, not at all.

This Colonel Kennedy went back to questioning Teal'c who sat, alone, at the other end of the long table. "Well, what can you tell me about the Goa'ulds than I may be able to use?"

 _Me?_ _I?_ Like he was the only one who has or ever will fight them. Jack scoffed, he had caught the Colonel's wording as well.

Teal'c began mater-of-factly, "They rule by force. Their numbers were once very few, but they are growing."

"How many worlds do the control?" Kennedy interrupted.

"Many hundreds, perhaps more."

"And should we expect to encounter them everywhere we go?" Kennedy cut him off again. Man this guy is such an ass, pardon my French.

Jack leaned over to Hammond and whispered. "We?" To which the General just shook his head for Jack to shut up for the moment.

Teal'c continued, only a raised eyebrow to acknowledge Kennedy's rudeness. "It is possible. But there are many worlds that the Goa'ulds have no use for. On those worlds the people are left to starve, fend for themselves."

And what do you know, Kennedy broke in again. For someone who wanted information he had a funky way of getting it. "Is there a leadership with which we could negotiate?"

"Oh please." I thought. Off Kennedy's glare, "Sorry." At least I thought I hadn't said it out loud.

"Some like Apophis," My fists clenched as Teal'c mentioned the man who took away most of my family. "are great kings who rule over many worlds as their gods. They have no need for peace. If they could kill you, they would."

"Could they? They have space craft, right?"

"Yes. But with out a Stargate the journey could take may months, perhaps years. It would take many vessels and many slave armies."

"Were not that much of a nuisance, just yet." Jack interjected.

Kennedy promptly ignored him. "These slaves, where do they come from?"

Teal'c sighed like he was about to begin a long story. "There is tale of a primitive world the Goa'uld discovered a millennia ago. The Tau'ri. The First World where beings of this form first evolved." Everyone present, if they hadn't been listening, were now paying rapt attention. "It is said the Goa'uld harvested among the primitives. Some became Goa'uld hosts, others became jaffa. The rest were taken as slaves and seeded among the stars to serve them." Teal'c paused for a moment and shook his head. "But that world has been lost for centuries."

"Teal'c." Kennedy addressed him by name for the first time. "beings of this form evolved here, on Earth."

Teal'c sat up ramrod straight in his chair and glanced around at us in surprise. "This world?"

"Is the world you talking about, Teal'c." I answered him. "Ra came here over ten thousand years ago."

"If our ancestors hadn't rebelled and buried the Stargate..." Jack pondered.

Teal'c finished. "You would not have become strong enough to challenge them."

"So the galaxy is populated by the ancient peoples of Earth." I said. "There could be millions by now!"

Teal'c spoke again, his grave tone drawing everyone's attention back to him. "Then you are their greatest hope. And mine."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The meeting ended shortly there after. Teal'c was taken back to his cell while the rest of filed out in various directions.

I was almost all the way down the stairs when I heard General Hammond call to Kennedy. "Colonel Kennedy. A word."

"Is this about Teal'c?" Kennedy sounded annoyed.

Deciding to give them some privacy I turned to leave, but was halted by Hammond's next words. "Actually I wish to discuss Miss Clark."

"Ah, In my opinion General..." Kennedy began.

"I never requested your opinion, _Colonel!_ " Hammond boomed glaring pointedly at the stars on the Colonel's uniform that were fewer in number than the one's on his own. "If you ever speak to another person under my command as you spoke to Miss Clark today you will not be welcome on this base. Is that clear?!"

"With all due respect..."

"Is that clear?!" Hammond repeated cutting him off. The Colonel's silence must have been yes he was looking for. "Well good. Get out. You are dismissed."

Colonel Kennedy brushed past me on his way down the stairs, glaring the whole way. I could have cared less. I was glad to know that I had the support of the only person around here whose opinion truly counted in Hammond's eyes, his own.

Walking into the control room I saw a blonde head buzz past. "Captain Carter?"

"Miss Clark!" She stooped in her tracks and swiveled to face me. "You know, Captain Carter is bit of a mouthful to spit out every time you see me. Why don't you call me Sam?"

"Are you sure that's allowed?" I asked as we started down the hallway out of the control room.

"You're not military, and you call Colonel O'Neill by his first name."

"Yeah, but Jack is, he's just Jack."

Cart...Sam laughed. "We're going to be on the same team, we might as well put aside formalities."

Suddenly flashing red lights replaced the white ones on the hall.

Sam grabbed my arm and steered me out of the way of a squadron of soldiers running past. "Is it the Goa'uld again?" I shouted over the blaring sirens.

"I don't think so."

Right then a voice blared through out the base. "Security to the infirmary! Security to the infirmary. Set condition red."

"Let's get back to the control room and see if we can find out what's happening," Sam said.

We started back when the sounds of a fight and crashing equipment prompted us to run faster. As we came up the steps we were confronted with Kawalsky frantically imputing coordinates into the control computer.

"Kawalsky! What the hell are you doing?!" Sam rushed him and tried to pull him away from the computer.

In an amazing display of strength he lifted her off him and threw her a good five feet before she collided with the far wall and fell to the ground unconscious.

"Close the blast doors!" I yelled at a technician, the only other person not unconscious. As the concrete slabs fell into place in front of the glass windows I ran to the mic I had seen Hammond speak into before. "Emergency in the control room! Emergency in the contro... ah..." A hand came around my mouth cutting off my scream.

In the reflection in the glass I saw Kawalsky behind me, but it wasn't him. His face was contorted into a snarl. I'd never seen him like this, even when he had thought Nebeth and I had died on Abydos. His arms were wrapped tight around my rib cage painfully, especially where I still sported the bruise from the guards on Chulak.

I could feel his breath in the back of my neck. "Help me!" He spoke with a horrifying familiar reverberation to his voice.

My eyes flew wide. This was not my friend! My scream was muffled by his hand over my mouth and I dug my heels in as he dragged me back wards.

"Kawalsky!" Jack shouted from somewhere behind us.

Whoever was in control of Kawalsky spun us around, using me as a shield against the dozen or so guns pointed at us.

"Don't shoot!" Jack lunged at the soldiers, pushing their weapons down.

With an incredible display of strength Kawalsky began dragging me out into the corridor. As soon as we appeared the sound of several guns flipping off their safeties filled my pounding ears.

"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" Jack ran out into the hall after us. He and the soldiers followed us warily.

There was an beep and then the sound of and elevator door opening behind us. Violently Kawalsky loosen his grip around my chest, only to throw me into the open elevator. My arm hit the metal wall hard, and I let a small cry. He stepped inside and pressed the button to close the door.

My heart felt like it was going to bust out of my chest. "Whoever you are, you wont get out of here alive." Kawalsky, the Goa'uld, seemed to ignore me. "They'll kill you before they let you go."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw the red handle of the emergency stop. He didn't seem to be paying any attention to me. But right when I made a grab for it his arm shot out, latching on to my arm. Then he used my own arm to hit me over the head. The bone in my forearm connected with my face with a crack. The blow knocked the wind out of me and I flew backwards a short distance till my back hit the wall. Pain exploded all over my body and I saw stars.

As I struggled to remain awake I saw through the fog Kawalsky shake his head. His head swiveled around the elevator and he swayed on his feet.

I tried to call out to him, but it only came out as an unintelligible groan.

He snapped around and fell to his knees beside me. "Oh geez Kid!" his voice was back to normal. "Hang on, we'll get you out of here." he said checking my pulse.

There was loud banging coming from the other side of the elevator door. Slowly they were pried open. And there was Jack, Sam, Daniel, and Hammond staring at us in shock.

"Well, it's about damn time! Gimme a hand here!" Kawalsky yelled angrily.

Daniel started when he saw me, "Erin!", and he tired to get to me, only to be stopped by Jack.

Jack rushed in and grabbed Kawalsky by the arm and yanked him away from me. "Charlie, what the hell's going on?!"

Kawalsky shook his head. "I don't know, but she's hurt, real bad. We have to get her to the infirmary."

Jack brushed past him and knelt down next to me. Carefully he picked me up bridal style and carried me out. I tried to tell him I could walk, but that would have been a lie.

A med team had arrived and he placed my body on the stretcher. The nurse shown a bright light into my eyes. "It's a mild concussion, she'll be fine." The rest of what she said faded away.

I closed my eyes.

I opened my eyes.

And sat bolt upright when I realized that I was in a completely different room. There there was an IV in my arm and monitors on my forehead. Still half asleep, I tried to yank them away when someone grabbed my hands and stopped me.

My eyes traveled up the arms to see Daniel's concerned face inches from mine. "Dani?" I squeaked.

He pulled me into a hug, "Your okay, your safe."

"What happened?"

"You've been out for hours. You had us worried."

"What about Kawalsky?" I asked. "It's a Goa'uld, isn't it?"

Daniel nodded pulling back. "They think that it hasn't been able to take him over completely yet because it's an infant."

"I need to see him." I scrambled out of bed.

"Erin, I don't think..." Seeing my glare. "Fine. But let's get this IV out of you. Knowing you, it would nick an artery or something. Nurse?" He called on one of the nurses on duty.

Once all the monitors and the IV were off Daniel led me down the corridors to a quarantine room.

When we entered no one noticed, because Kawalsky was writhing and screaming in some kind of restraint system.

Daniel leaned down and whispered to me. "Erin, you don't need to see this."

"No, I'm staying." I flinched as Kawalsky let out another blood curdling cry.

"Where's the General?!" He shouted.

"Right here!" Jack announced walking in with Hammond and Teal'c.

"General, please." Kawalsky begged, "The pain, it's too much."

"We're doing what we can son, just hold in there." Hammond tied to calm him.

Kawalsky exploded. "No! No, don't you dare give me that good soldier crap. You order them to cut this damn thing out of me!"

"If they do you might die." Jack put a comforting hand on his shoulder, but Kawalsky wrenched away.

"I don't care! I rather be dead!"

Was this what Skaara and Sha're were going through right now? I wanted to throw up, punch a wall, cry into Skaara robe, run to Kawalsky. Any or all of the above. By Daniel's dark expression I could see he was wondering the same thing.

"Charlie, they want to talk to it." Jack's voice wavered.

"There's nothing to talk about!" Kawalsky's face had turned an alarming shade of red and sweat poured off him.

Teal'c stepped up. "We must offer it life to save your's. "

"No, I want you to kill it!" The restraints on Kawalsky were being stained to their limits and he beat his arm down on the bed.

Teal'c continued. "We must speak with the Goa'uld with in you."

"Please let them do their job." I pleaded with Kawalsky.

He turned his unfocused eyes in my direction. "Erin, Jack, please help me! Don't let them do this to me! I want you to kill it!"

Tears were running down my face. I couldn't bear to watch him suffer so greatly.

All the monitors in the room began beating rabidly and small alarms went off in accompaniment with Kawalsky's screams. "Kill it! Kill it! Kill it!." He sucked in a deep breath and fell limp face first against the bed and all the monitors returned to normal.

His body shuddered and then reared up. He turned his eyes in our direction, flashing. When he spoke, it was with the reverberation of the Goa'uld inside. "Nemes kree! I will not speak to the traitor." It sneered at Teal'c. It then turned it attention to Hammond. "You are their leader?"

Hammond narrowed his eye and responded. "I am."

"Speak!" It commanded.

"I am General George Hamm..." Hammond began.

"I am only interested in going through the Stargate. Now!" The Goa'uld interrupted.

"You are in no position to make demands. I have a proposition for you." But Hammond never go to finish.

The Goa'uld flashed Kawalsky's eyes. "Release me now or I will destroy you!"

"If you leave this man's body we will allow you to return through the Stargate in your natural form."

"This body, is mine!"

"If you are unwilling to leave, we will be forced to surgically..." Hammond stepped back as the Goa'uld pulled his left arm free and swiped at him.

I grabbed his free arm and Jack grabbed the arm still restrained. He was so strong that even with my full weight against his one arm I was barley able to keep him down. I felt the tips of my shoes begin to lift off the ground.

"Teal'c help her." Jack shouted.

Teal'c clamped down on Kawalsky's arm next to me.

The Goa'uld tilted his head at an unnatural angle and looked me dead in the eyes. It took all my control to stay standing were I was and not jump away. "Release me now or I will destroy you!"

"Do not attempt to escape! We will open fire!" Hammond signaled to the guards around the room. "Take aim!"

Daniel rushed forward, and wrapping his arms around my waist, pulled me out of the line of fire.

Just then Goa'uld glanced in my direction. Only, it wasn't the Goa'uld. Kawalsky heard the sound of guns aiming at him and the his eyes went wide with fear.

I struggled out of Daniel's grasp and ran to put myself between the guards and Kawalsky holding my hands up. "Don't shoot."

"Hold you fire!" Hammond ordered.

"Oh God!" Kawalsky collapsed against the bed.

I rubbed his trembling back. "It's okay. It's over, it over."

"I wont put you through that again son." Hammond said mournfully.

He turned his terrified gaze to me, near tears. "What did I do?"

"The thing's just got one heck of a mouth on him." I tried to be reassuring. "And it wasn't you. You are not to blame for anything it's done."

Kawalsky nodded, but his face showed that he didn't believe that. Across the bed Jack was rubbing his face with his palm and watching his friend carefully.

"Dr. Warner." Hammond addressed one of the doctors. "I want to know the minute that God forsaken thing can be removed from my officer." he barked and with that he marched out of the room.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

After Kawalsky had been sedated and was resting Hammond called a meeting. As he walked in followed by Kennedy Jack and Sam snapped to attention. "As you were people." And they sat back down. "In light of the day's events, Colonel Kennedy has chosen to make certain recommendations to my superiors that I want to share with all of you. Colonel Kennedy?" He gestured for the man to step forward.

"I know that many of you have served with Major Kawalsky, so please forgive me if what I am about to suggest appears in any way…callous. But I believe surgical removal of the parasite may be a mistake." he stated without any remorse a normal human should feel.

"General, this is a waste of time Kawalsky does not have." Jack was seething.

"Dr. Warner, what are Major Kawalsky's chances of surviving the procedure?" Kennedy said smugly.

Doctor Warner looked like he wanted nothing more then to refrain from answering his question. "Ten…twelve percent at most."

"And the parasite? It is an intelligent being after all, isn't it, Colonel? I believe I first read that in your report."

The doctor sighed. "The parasite itself would not survive the procedure."

"So, we're faced with destroying one life in the hopeless attempt to save another. You see the ethical dilemma?" Kennedy said like this would put an end to all arguments.

"I really don't." My face was burning in rage. I couldn't believe he was suggesting what I think he was suggesting. And so help me if he did.

"My team and I are completely prepared to perform the procedure, sir. We'll do our best." The doctor insisted.

"Of course you will, Doctor." Kennedy dismissed him. "Please don't misunderstand. We all wish the invading parasite in Major Kawalsky's body could be safely removed. But the facts are the facts. If we proceed with this operation, Major Kawalsky will have died in vain."

I jumped to my feet, ready to pummel this guy, but Jack grabbed my arm and shook his head. Slowly I sat back down.

Kennedy just smirked and continued on his little tirade. "Think about what we could learn. These infant Goa'ulds; if they're so young, so fragile in their larval state that they require a, uh…a, uh…I'm sorry what was it you called yourself again?" he asked Teal'c.

"Jaffa." Teal'c answered. Seriously? Kennedy had just been in a briefing with Teal'c. Had he not been paying attention? It seemed like he was trying to purposely exert his superiority by making others answer questions that he obviously knew the answer to.

"So what? Incubator?" He outright insulted Teal'c like it was nothing. "How is it that they're so intelligent?"

"A Goa'uld is born with all the knowledge of all Goa'ulds that came before it." Teal'c explained.

"Genetic memory." Daniel translated through gritted teeth.

"All the knowledge of the Goa'ulds. I just want you all to think on that before we just throw it away." Kennedy ordered.

Jack's face grew contemplative, like he was actually considering it. "I've thought about it. You thought about it?" He glanced at me and I nodded. Jack then looked around the table at the rest of our team. "I think we've all thought about it." Even Teal'c and Hammond nodded in agreement. Jack turned his accusing gaze in Kennedy. "Any more thinking to be done?" He demanded.

"Colonel." Hammond warned him. But for once it didn't sound like he was reprimanding Jack.

"Imagine if we could convince this Goa'uld to share that knowledge." Kennedy pondered.

I scoffed. "Have you met these guys?!" Pausing. "Oh that right, you haven't. We are nothing to them." Kennedy pointed a finger at me, warning me to keep quiet. A warning I had not intention of following.

"What if we just studied it?" Kennedy leaned against his hands braced on the table. His face showed that he knew he was pulling at strings now. "How much could we learn from that? What if we just faced up to the fact of Major Kawalsky's slim chances of survival and realize that the greatest enemy mankind may ever face has just been delivered right to our doorstep?" Hammond's eye's narrowed dangerously and he pulled his lips up in a snarl at the Colonel. Kennedy had just crossed a line, but he continue regardless. "Even if we let it return through the Stargate as a gesture of good faith, how much could we…?"

"Just what kind of an officer are you, Colonel?" Hammond roared enraged as he shot out of his seat and pinned the Colonel with his gaze.

Kennedy stuttered. "Sir…?"

"As long as there is a snowball's chance in hell that my officer will come out of this procedure alive, we'll go ahead with it."

"With all due respect, General, I should take this to my superiors." Kennedy ironically said this without any of the respect he claimed.

"Well" Hammond smiled in a way that was not at all humorous. "I'll probably just call the President and get approval right from the horse's mouth. But sure, you go right ahead, Colonel. Talk to your superiors. In the meantime people, let's get the job done." He then abruptly left the room. Leaving a flabbergasted Kennedy in his wake.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

After the meeting Jack and I went to the infirmary. In the far corner Kawalsky was strapped to a bed.

"Hey." I said sofly while knocking on the side of the infirmary's wall. Kawalsky open his eyes to look at us. "How are you?"

He weakly raised his arm and waved us closer. "It hurts to speak." He weased and coughed. "Whats going on?"

"There getting ready for the procedure. " Jack answered taking the seat next to Kawalsky's cot. As there was not other chair I stood close behind Jack.

"It's about time." Then Kawalsky took a deep breath and looked at me sadly. "Kid, I never apologized for hurting you earlier. I'm sorry. I just want to say that if I don't..."

I cut him off. "Don't talk like that, please. You're gong to make it. And there is nothing to forgive."

"Give me your hands." Kawalsky reached for us and I put my hand in his, and Jack placed his over top of ours. "If this doesn't work..."

A tear escaped my eye and ran down my cheek. I clenched my teeth to keep a sob from escaping and shook my head. _No, he's gonna be fine._

"Hey come on. This is gonna be a cake walk." Jack squeezed our connected hands.

Kawalsky let out a snort. "Will you guys let me finish? If this doesn't work I want to be cremated. I don't want any of that think let inside me. You'll make sure right?"

"We will." I assured him.

Kawalsky took another deep breath, it seemed like it was getting harder and harder for him. "I want you both to know that it was a honor to fight with you." Tears were flowing freely down my face now. "Hey Kid."

I quickly brushed the tears away with my free hand. "Yeah?"

"No matter what happens with me, I don't want to give up on Skaara and Sha're. You're strong," he glanced at Jack. "you all are. I believe in you guys."

I smiled down at him. "Thank you."

"Listen," Jack began gravely. "I gotta ask you something, and it's not easy for me." he choked up a bit at the end.

"We're friends." Kawalsky eyed Jack warily.

"If you don't make it, can I have you stereo?"

With a look that spoke that Jack had just lost his mind Kawalsky stared at him for a minute. The he burst out laughing which quickly devolved into a coughing fit. "Oh, hey." he tried to steady his breathing. "It hurts to laugh." he chuckled.

Doctor Warner walked into the infirmary. "We ready for him."

"See you when this is all over." Jack patted our joined hands and stood up, backing away from the bed.

"You okay?" I asked.

Kawalsky smiled. "Never better."

Leaning down I kissed him on the cheek. Kawalsky smirked. "So this is what it takes to get kissed by a beautiful woman? I should have done this years ago." He laughed, but I could hear the fear behind it.

Jack pulled me into for a hug, which I gladly accepted. "See you soon." I said as they wheeled him out of the room.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

I was the first to make it to the observation room above the surgical suite where they were going to bring Kawalsky after they had finished prepping him. I stood at the far wall near the glass window chewing on my nails. It was an old nervous habit that I had though I had killed years ago. Funny how life brings back things you though long buried.

"Miss Clark?" A voice questioned behind me and I jumped. Turning I saw Hammond standing in the door way.

"General?"

"I had a feeling I would find you here." He came to stand beside me. "With everything going on I haven't had the chance to talk with you personally."

"It's okay sir, I understand." I paused, unsure if I wanted to continue. "Sir, I wanted to thank you for standing up for me the other day, and for standing up for Kawalsky."

"Don't mention it, it's all part of command." He stated modestly. "How are you holding up with all this?"

The typical lie of always being fine automatically began to slip out. "I'm fin..." Stopping myself I settled for the truth, taking a deep breath before I continued. "Those of us who went on the first Abydos mission together are like family. Feretti's still in the hospital. Daniel lost his wife. My fiance. Our home. All within a day. And now Kaw... Jack, Daniel and I, we can't lose any more of our family"

Hammond smiled warmly. "I understand. If you need anything."

"Thank you sir."

By now the doctors had wheeled in Kawalsky and were setting up for the surgery. A few minutes later Sam, Jack, Teal'c and Daniel climbed up the steps and joined us in the conversation room. The latter of which gave me a concerned glance and looked like he wanted to ask me something, I just shook my head and sat beside him.

Doctor Warner entered in full surgical gear and addressed Hammond. "I've held back on the use of anesthetic until it can be administered to both patient and creature simultaneously." he approached Kawalsky and leaned down so he was at eye level with him. "Major Kawalsky, we're going to begin the operation. Are you ready?"

"I wanna say something." He said loudly. "General Hammond, sir?"

Hammond spoke into a mic that feed hi voice into the surgical suite. "I'm here, son."

"If this doesn't work…I want you to give the order. I want to wake up as me or not at all."

Jack stiffened and fixed his gaze on his hands.

Hammond hesitated for a moment before letting out a sigh. "You have my word, son."

Doctor Warner raised a large syringe and placed it over the spot where Kawalsky's spine connected with his skull. In a precise moment he slid the needle into between the bones. "Alright. Injecting anesthetic. Start the clock." A nurse flipped a switch on a large digital timer and bold red letters began ticking off the seconds. "I'm making the first incision."

I cringed and looked away. Daniel put his arm around my shoulder and let my lean into him as we prepared to be there for the long hull.

An hour later and Doctor Warner was still fast at work. "I'm separating the primary ganglia attaching the parasite to the spinal cord…now. It's coming away more easily than I'd hoped. Must be the anesthetic."

 **"** At least it's going well." Sam said.

"That's fantastic. If we can reverse what's happened to the major, then there's still a chance for Sha're." Daniel said hopefully.

"And Skaara." I added.

"Let's hope." Sam was sympathetic. Daniel missed the nervous glance she gave him.

 **"** The ganglia are still constricting…periodically. Obviously there still seems to be some sign of life in this symbiote. I don't know how. Scissors." Warner pulled back from the operation table in shock, but he quickly composed himself. "There are thin filaments extending up and into the brain. I'm going to sever them." No sooner had he begun cutting did Kawalsky's body start convulsing violently. "Hold him still!" he shouted.

"Oh my God!" I gasped. Daniel gripped my hand.

"What's happening?" Hammond barked into the mic.

As Kawalsky became still again Warner backed away from the table with his arms raised. "I don't know, sir, I don't think it was anything I did. I'd like to proceed."

"How much longer?" Hammond asked.

"Almost there. Almost. Large clamp?" On the large screen a digital image of the Goa'uld was shown being cut in half, then slowly being pulled away from Kawalsky's spine. "I'm taking it out…now." He lifted a dangling, limp worm away from Kawalsky and slipped into a basin that a nurse held up. "I think we did it. Close for me."

"Well done, everyone." Hammond congratulated them.

"Yes!" Sam cheered. While Daniel and I crushed each other in hug.

"It's over, it's going to be okay, Everything's going to be fine." Daniel kept whispering over and over.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Daniel, Jack, Warner and I stood around Kawalsky's bed. Slowly he began to peel open his eyes.

"That's right, Dorothy." Jack said patting him on the arm. "It was all a dream."

"Can you move your fingers?" Warner asked and Kawalsky groggily waved. "And toes." And Kawalsky wiggled his toes, leaving us all grinning from ear to ear. "Congratulations , Major. You've already exceeded my wildest expectations."

"Thirsty." Kawalsky croaked, waving at his throat. There was a plastic cup by his bed half full of water and I handed it to him. He immediately drained the whole thing, causing him to cough.

Jack took the cup from him, laughing joyously. "Easy, big fella. You're not drinking for two any more."

"I made it?" He asked.

"See? I told you. Piece of cake." Jack handed him another cup of water. This one he drank more slowly.

"Anyway. Uh…Colonel Kennedy's probably going to want to take it with him. So, if you wanna see it once before..?" Daniel said awkwardly.

"You're not talking about that thing in my head, are you?" Kawalsky looked at Daniel like he was nuts.

"Daniel thinks it's fascinating." I explained rolling eye at him.

"No! I just thought you might wanna see it."

Kawalsky shook his head. "Noooo, thanks."

Sam then came running into the infirmary. "Hey, I just heard. They're shipping Teal'c out to Langley. Kennedy's taking him with him." She said angrily.

"What for?" Daniel demanded .

"'Study.' That's Kennedy's word." Sam spat.

"I should have punched him when I had the chance!" I growled and started for the door.

Jack stepped into my path, "I'll handle this." Spinning on his heel the stormed out.

Kawalsky grabbed Sam's arm as she passed to follow Jack. "Listen, in case the Colonel can't talk them out of it. I'd like a minute alone with Teal'c before they ship him out. He helped get me through this. I got to thank him."

Sam patted his hand. "Okay, I think that can be arranged. Come on guys, let's let him get some rest."

I took a deep breath to calm down. Once I was sure I wasn't gonna go pummel a certain Colonel I turned to Kawalsky and took his hand. "Feel better soon. You still have P3... P3..." I couldn't remember that dang designation. "That planet to go explore." He smiled and squeezed my hand. Daniel took my other hand, leading me out of the infirmary.

"See you later." Kawalsky called out just before we turned the corner.

"Goodbye!" I shouted back.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Where you off to now?" I asked Daniel. "I'm probably going to work on some translations the malps have picked up from off-world." He ended with a yawn. The dark circles I had noticed under his eyes had, if anything, doubled.

"When did you last sleep?"

He chuckled humorlessly. "I don't know."

"You should go get some rest, you wont be any good half dead."

A pained expression took over his face. "I've tried to sleep. But every time I close my eyes I see..." He stopped in his tracks with his dejected eyes cast down to floor.

"Me to." I said rubbing his arm. The last times I had slept I'd woken up in a cold sweat screaming, images of Skaara and Sha're locked in a never ending replay. "It's not gonna get any easier, is it?"

"Probably not." He paused tugging on my messy ponytail like he used to when we were little. "You know if you ever want to talk."

Smiling I turned to leave. "Thanks. The same goes for you to." Then I whirled around and jabbed my finger in his direction. "Go. To. Sleep. Now!"

Laughing he held his hands up in surrender. "You know, in a normal older brother younger sister relationship our roles would be reversed." Narrowing my eyes I glared at him and again pointed in the general direction of his quarters. "Alright, alright. Goodnight."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Lost, again. After leaving Daniel to, hopefully get some rest I had traveled down a corridor I had thought led to my room. Five turns later I came around the corner only to find the entrance to the infirmary at the end of the hall.

But where the two guards were supposed to be stationed outside the doors, they now laid in a heap unconscious. "Oh my God." Running to them I feel to my knees next to the first one and felt his pulse. It was faint but there. But as I felt the second's, hoping against hope that the unnatural angle of his neck was just a trick of the eye, I felt nothing. From inside the room a pained groan called my attention. On my way to the doors I slammed my hand down on the emergency alarm setting off the sirens and flashing lights.

Slowly I pushed open the swinging doors, unsure of what I would find. Inside Teal'c was struggling to stand, bracing himself on one of the cots. "Teal'c? What happened?" I shouted running to help him.

"The Goa'uld within has won." he growled.

My blood ran cold. "No, that's not possible. How?"

"It deceived us."

"Emergency in the control room. Repeat emergency in the control room." A voice called over the loud speakers.

"Come on." I grunted pulling Teal'c to his feet. "We have to stop him."

Wordlessly we ran through the halls, somehow managing to reach the control room. There was the faint sound of the gate spinning. "He has activated the Stargate. I will attempt to stop him from going through it." Teal'c was already headed to the gate room.

"Go. " I yelled over my shoulder, running up a flight of stairs. "I'll try to shut the gate down from control room." The control room was dark with the blast doors down and was equipment overturned and scattered across the floor. Frantically I began typing on the control computer. A flash-bar popped up indicating that the gate was dialing a very familiar set of coordinates.

"What's going on?" Jack asked racing down the stairs from the briefing room with Hammond.

"Kawalsky, the Goa'uld set the coordinates for Chulack." I answered while trying to get the computer to revoke the dialing command. Another alarm went off and flashing red words appeared on the screen. _Two minutes until auto-destruct._ "Guys." my voice went shrill.

Hammond stared in shock at the screen. "He set the auto-destruct on the fail-safe device."

"How did it know the code?" I asked Hammond as he pushed me aside.

"I don't know. But I need two ranking officers to override it and that's- you Colonel." He and Jack began typing in their override codes.

"Alright that did it." Jack finished putting in the last of his code and the destruct warning disappeared from the screens. "Erin open the blast doors."

I hit the release and the blast doors slid up to reveal Teal'c and Kawalsky fighting it out one the ramp leading to the gate. Kawalsky had Teal'c by the throat and pushed him face first through the event horizon. Teal'c jerked back causing Kawalsky to tumble off him and he fell to the ground. Teal'c then grabbed a handful of Kawalsky's clothes and hulled him up. He glared at Teal'c and clawed at Teal'c's hands. Heaving himself forward Teal'c shoved the back of Kawalsky's head through the gate.

Jack shouted into the mic. "Teal'c hold him there! Shut it down." He pointed his at me, then brought his hand swiftly down. "Now!"

Flipping open the plastic cover I slammed the emergency disengage, shutting the gate off. Kawalsky's eyes flew wide in shock, dulling as the light left them and he fell from Teal'c grasp to the ground, dead.

My heart pounded as I tried to comprehend what I was seeing, but my mind didn't want to accept it. The illogical part of my brain denied it. _No. He's fine, when I get down there he will be fine. This is a dream, this is a dream, this is a dream._

The rational part of my brain came to one conclusion, he was gone. "Dammit!" Seemingly of it's own accord, my fist plowed through the glass screen of the unlucky computer in front of me. Looking down at my injury, I didn't even feel it. Not even when the jagged shards of glass caught my skin as I pulled it out of the hole I created.

Numbly I walked out of the control room, brushing past Hammond when he moved to help me. I was dimly aware the Jack followed me into the gate room. Kawalsky's eyes stared upward from his still body. Falling to my knees beside him I reached out with a shaking hand and closed his eyes for the last time.

"He was your friend." Teal'c's deep voice was full of sadness.

Jack knelt next to me, tears streaming down his cheeks as he covered his mouth with his hand to hold in a sob. A hissing sound came from Kawalsky's body. From where the gate had sheared off the back of his head a small grub like creature fell out and shriveled up.

Jack tore his gaze from the body and stood, his face devoid of emotion. "My friend died on the table."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

I winced as the doctor wrapped gauze around my hand. The full realization of what had just happened hit me like a tone of bricks.

There was a skidding sound just as the door of the infirmary flew open and Daniel burst through. "My God, Erin!" He grabbed my shoulders. Then seeing my wrapped hand pulled it closer, running his fingers over the bandages. "I just heard. Are you alright?" Tugging gently my hand. "What happened?" The fact that he had asked me a question registered somewhere in the back of my brain. Daniel gently took my face in his hands, trying to get me to look at him. "Erin talk to me."

Oh how I wanted to, but the message just wasn't translating to my mouth.

"She's been like that since they brought her in, Dr. Jackson." The doctor who had treated me said coming to stand by Daniel. She placed a hand on his arm, squeezing softy. "It could be a few minutes before she comes out of it, or a few days." She shown a light into my eyes and marked the result on a clip board. "Has anything else happened recently that could have caused this reaction."

Daniel sighed and glanced at the floor sadly. "Yeah, to much."

"She doesn't seem to be the only one." The doctor observed. "The best thing to do now would be the wait with her, it probably wouldn't be a good idea for her to wake up alone." Sliding her clipboard into a slot by my bed, she turned to leave.

"I never got you name." Daniel asked, almost as an afterthought.

"Dr. Fraiser." She called over her shoulder, then pausing at the doorway she looked back at Daniel. "Take care of yourselves." And with that she left.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

After about half an hour Daniel had climbed up on the bed beside me. Sliding an arm around my waist he leaned my body again his side, tucking my head under his chin.

Everything flashed through my mind. Sha're's terrified gaze as she was dragged from the dungeon on Chulak. Skaara screaming my name as he to was ripped away. Sha're's hollow eyes when Apophis ordered Teal'c to kill us. Skaara's face just before he attacked Jack and I. Feeling like my heart had just been ripped out and handed to me as the gate shut down, realizing that Skaara was gone. Kawalsky's eyes when I pushed the disengage and killed him.

"I killed him." I whispered, finding the nerves in my mouth.

Daniel, who I guess had been dozing off, jerked like he'd been shocked. "What did you say?"

"My fault. I killed him." I choked on the words. Sliding forward I braced my elbows on my knees and let out a sob.

Daniel's arms tightened around me. "No." He said rubbing my back soothingly. "That was the Goa'uld, not you. There was nothing you could have done."

My horrified gaze met his. "Maybe but I'm the one who pushed the button. I'm going to have to live with that for the rest of my life."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Jack was the first to arrived in the gate room for our first mission. Steeling myself and pushing everything down I walked up the ramp, stopping beside him.

"Hey, you ready for this?" Jack asked.

"I'll live." I answered. "You?" One would not see it immediately, but ever since Kaw... since then, Jack carried himself like he had a great weight bearing down on his shoulders.

"I'll live." He replied, repeating my answer with an attempt at a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

We stood a few minutes in silence, nothing could be said and nothing needed to be said.

Then that silence was broken with Sam and Daniel rushing in. Daniel was desperately trying to put his helmet in place.

"I was just telling Daniel..." Sam stopped. Having enough she slapped Daniel's hands out of the way and snapped his helmet for him.

"Well...What." Jack playfully snapped, calling Sam's attention back to what she had just said.

Sam pursued her lips, thinking for a moment. "Sorry sir. I was just saying the fact that Kawalsky knew the code for the auto-destruct proves that there is hope for Skaara and Sha're."

"How?" I asked surprised.

Sam squeezed my shoulder, "Only Kawalsky could have known that code. So..."

"Something of the host must survive." I added, finishing her thought.

She shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

"Colonel O'Neill." Hammond boomed happily, striding in. "Is SG-1 ready to move out?"

Jack smiled, giving him a small salute. "We are sir."

Hammond nodded. "Good, then you have a go for a standard recon mission to P3-575."

The left blast door leading to the hallway slid open and Teal'c walked through. He looked a little weird in a military uniform, a helmet in one hand and his staff in the other. "Reporting as ordered." Punctuating his sentence with by sharply snapping his staff on the ground.

Jack leaned over and softly clapped him on the back in a gentle reminder. "Sir, its sir." Waving his hand at Hammond.

Teal'c only quirked his right brow and stood at full attention before the General. "Sir."

Hammond smiled up at him. "Welcome aboard son." To which Teal'c bowed to him slightly before joining us on the ramp.

"The malp reports conditions on the planet are favorable." Sam said as we all stopped just in front of the event horizon.

"I like favorable." Reaching into my vest I pulled out a ball cap similar to Jack's and straightened it on my head.

He smirked at my display of imitation before turning back to the gate. "Well."

As one we stepped through. Our adventure had just begun.


End file.
